Harry Potter: The Crownless King
by Black Gandalf
Summary: ...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The Champion of Light will bring back the old ways... and elves will rise, wraiths will die and The Fellowship will be revived. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... and he is The White Wizard's heir! " *H/Hr. soon M *LOTR and Wardstone Chronicles elemen
1. Chapter I

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

NOTE: This will be a long fanfic and will not be abandoned. Even though the world of Harry Potter will be entwined with the LOTR world, the main pairing in the end will be Harry/Hermione. The world of LOTR will be explained as much as possible so you will not have to be a Tolkien fan to understand it. This is not a crossover story.

**Enjoy and please review, I am open to suggestions and critics.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-The world is changing-**

The final seconds of the ninth age have passed, marking the New Year of 1927 for the human kind, but in Loth Lorien there was nothing to celebrate. The queen Galadriel laid on her death bed and she knew she had only moments before leaving this world for good.

''Immortality...such a cruel thing... finally I'll have my liberation''. Galadriel sighed deeply and contemplated at the countless millennia of her life. For a moment it looked as the queen of elves would pass away serene, but a shaddow washed her face which was now contorted in pain and terror. Next to her bed, her husband and king Celeborn almost backed away in surprise for never did he ever witnesed such fear on his wife's face.

Galadriel turned her face towards him forcing to keep a blank expression, than looked toward's the skies. „Celeborn, my love.. prepare the silvan elves and warn Elrond...'' As the queen spoke Celeborn kneeled next to her bed and watched her piercing blue eyes slowly fade.

''Tell me my love, what is it that you see? What are the stars whispering to you for the final time?''

Never in the last five eves, an elf was so scared ... terrified, as the queen was when she gave her last breath and spat '' A Dark Lord has been born.''

Her white dress, thin as a spider web fluttered in the cold breeze and a white globe of energy rose from her chest and bolted towards the sky. Galadriel's soul left for "The Final Journey" .

In his sleep, Elrond felt a sharp stab of pain. His chest was on fire ... He awoke and searched the night sky, spoting a falling star. A deep frown tainted the perfect face of the elf, his mind allready at work... he was searching his memories for something he hoped he will never have to.

'' Another elf has died tonight'' he whispered sadly saluting the star, but a feeling long forgotten startled him. Something has been born also...the one who has claimed the soul... it could not be...

As the elf watched the star falling from the sky, a pale icy cold wind from the east made him shudder in terror. Fear was not common for an elf and Elrond did not took much time to remember when was the last time he had such a dark premonition...

As realization struck him, the elf's eyes grew bigger and his lips parted murmuring some black and cold words... _"In peneneth gorgor"_ (The nameless fear) .

* * *

><p><em>Two weeks later<em>

Since "The Black Night", as it was remembered the night when Galadriel died the elves became restless. Goblins, dwarfs and ents came to Rivendell and with them, Celeborn and Legolas Greenleaf. Unlike other councils, this time there were neither magnificent greetings sang for milles away nor great vanguards to ride in front of the guest. In complete silence the greiving lords came in Rivendell and straight towards the highest terrace where the council was to be held.

The elf lord stood in the middle of his guests with his usual soul searching gaze. They were gathered on the same balcony where ages ago The Fellowship of The Ring was formed and the same feeling of dread was looming over the place. The marble under their feet was white but a greenish web of small age cracks made it look even more beautiful. Near the edge of the balcony high onyx thrones were placed, each of them occupied by either a goblin, a dwarf or an elf.

Beyond the ledge, Treebeard, the most old and wise ent watched the gathering with his everlasting calm. He was so tall, he stood firmly planted on the first floor but his head easily reached the third floor were the meeting took place. The living tree felt at home in Rivendell... there were so many trees he could talk to and so much life he felt he was gaining youth and power with every second spent there.

From under his long green beard of moss and lichens glittered a translucid round stone on a heavy chain of vines. That was a Palantir, and most important a mark of trust and friendship from his best friend- Gandalf, The White Wizard.

Sensing Elrond was about to speak, the ent turned towards a nearby pine and shook his branches letting a squirrel jump on the other tree. He loved the small creature's company but he didn't want to be distracted... it would have ruined a hard earned reputation of being more serious than a sfinx.

The elf lord was dressed in a green fighting robe. His arms, legs and torso were tied in silver plates made of mithril. On his head he wore a delicate crown forged eves before his birth, one of the few remaining items brought by the elves when they came on the Middle Earth. The crown was a braiding of mithril and pure silver ropes. It was so simple but fascinating in the same time, the sun light seemed to accumulate into the thin bars and then burst ten times more powerful in a dazzling rain of silvery light.

''A new dark lord was brought to this world!'' Elrond's voice had a power never felt since the last Wars of the Ring.

'' It is said by our legends that the birth of such a dark creature always claims elvish life. And so it is true for our Lady of the Forrest has died in the same night... It is a wizard! And so it seems that the prophecy Gandalf left in our care will soon need to be fulfilled.''

The prophecy ... as the ages have passed, even between the elves were few who remembered what Gandalf left in a night on Amon Sul as a warning and a hope. Between all the lost races, only elves and ents were almost immortal, but the kings of goblins and dwarfs had only short tales that were passed from leader to leader about a terror that one day will come and a champion who will have to pass through ice and fire before he would close the gates of Hell behind his enemyes.

As Elrond brought the news, king Ragnok of goblins asked giving the elf a piercing look,

''Have the wizards been warned?''

Betwen all the lost races, the goblins were the most controversial. They once fought against Light and many human, elf and dwarf lives were taken by their archers. After King Aragorn and Queen Arwen reunited the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor, the goblins were forced to take an oath, to turn towards the Light and give their people a chance to live in peace. And so they did, because goblins, in spite of their mischievious nature were known for their respect for honor.

Ragnok was no taller than a hobbit and his face had no human resemblance. Crooked nose, big pointy ears, small beady eyes and a most odd grin caused by a full set of sharp fang-like teeth. Even in his little black business suit he still retained wild features that could frighten a man.

''Not yet, our connection with the last great wizard, Nicholas Flamel was severed thirty years ago and the actual master of Hogwarts is unfit to recieve "the secret".''

The dwarfs were not very keen on the thinking side and king's Durin question made the other smirk, ''Why don't you give it to the Minister of Magic, isn't he the most capable of wizards?''

Dwarfs were the most practical of all, and as it happens, they often took actions before thinking... Elrond sometimes felt their wisdom was buried as deep as the mithril they were mining for.

The short round man that represented the dwarfish kind was dressed in a long mithril shirt and on his head he wore a round helmet bound in a golden ring. He seemed to be just another dwarf and Elrond always hated that about them: they looked too much alike... short, round, small curious eyes, long manes of hair and deep voices. The only thing that stood different with Durin was not in his looks but at his feet where a majestic battle axe laid. The blade was made of mithril but the actual cutting edge was made from a secret golden metal. The handle was made from granite encrusted with old runes. This was the battle axe of the king, inherited from father to son in the king's family. It was so heavy that only a healthy and powerful dwarf could wield it. When the king became too weak to lift his axe, it was time to leave his throne for another ruler, more young and more strong.

As the king asked, Elrond turned towards him and spat impulsive,

'' The Minister of Magic has not been a trusty or capable leader since he was instated and as a matter of fact neither his precedents were, so we can rule him out!''

Being one of the few elves who had a lot of contact with the wizards over the centuries, Legolas, the much younger elf replied,

'' Since the foundry of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1000 AD the headmasters and other teachers of the school have been one of the most trusted contacts with the lost races... and I believe I have a candidate for the next trusted wizard...''

As he spoke, the other listen with care,

''At Hogwarts, there is a wizard as powerful as Merlin himself they say... he has knowledge of many things the other wizards do not know and seems to be fair enough to guard the knowledge we could give him.''

''Who is it Legolas? Who do you have in mind?'' asked Elrond ready to rid himself of a task he had to complete many times over the years...

''His name is Albus Dumbledore, a teacher of Transfiguration and most likely the next headmaster at Hogwarts.''

Elrond thought for a second, ''The name...Dumbledore...he defeated the one we thought was the new dark lord, Gellert Grindewald...''

''Indeed, he is the one. Because our contacts with Flamel were sized at that time, we were unable to gather other information about the wizard who stopped him or what ideals did he hold... It seems he is the perfect choice for the dark times to come.''

Elrond watched his guests with another piercing gaze and then spoke with force:

'' Be prepared, lords of the lost races! I have a task for each of you:

„Dwarfs, there will be great need for mithryl when the champion will arise, he will need a full armor made of your metal." Durin watched Legolas and Elrond bearing a determined face, nodded and left without other questions.

''Goblins, you are deep within their society and so you must remain. The bank you created controls the wizarding world better than anything. In the future we will need Gringotts to transfer gold from us to specific vaults .''

King Ragnok spoke,

''The goblin nation has made an oath to support mankind and we will do whatever it takes to keep the word we gave in front of Sir Aragorn and Lady Arwen.''

Pleased with Ragnok's answer, Elrond turned towards Treebeard who seemed to haven't changed a bit since he came to The Final Council.

''Eldest One, watch over the Forbidden Forrest. That is the weak spot of Hogwarts. ''

The ent pulled his long beard for a moment and then his deep reverberating voice hummed over the entire valley,

''Hmmmmmm, indeed master Elrond... do not hurry, it shall be done when the time will come...''

The school of witchcraft was built over the ruins of Isengard and the once known Fangorn Forrest lost its name in the mist of time. It was now named The Forbidden Forrest because of the dangerous magical creatures that lurked under the protection of the shadows. Treebeard was still the ruler of the forest and his efforts to keep the centaur community at peace with other magical creatures were the only reason a war for territory wasn't declared.

As everyone left, Legolas approached Elrond with a worried look ,

''My lord, what about the hobbits? Why didn't they came to your call? I haven't heard news from The Shire for a long time... rumors from the forest whisper about black riders who crossed the border into The Shire six days ago...since then no hobbit has been seen or heard of...''.

The lord of _Imladris_ was a far to experienced warrior to wince but the rumors Legolas brought made him nervous.

''Legolas, I must leave at once to The Shire. The black riders you speak of are no good news... they must be the _Nazgul_... and there's only one thing that they could want from the hobbits. The book of The Ring.''

The book of The Ring was the most complete history of the Ring Wars. It contained not only a thoroughly description of all the rings of power but also of Sauron...of his magic and secrets... that book in the wrong hands represented a complete manual for bringing hell on earth... literally.

Many of the Rings were lost, but the three rings given to the elves were still safe. "The book of The Ring" was the most intimate diary of Frodo... it explained how he used "The Master Ring" and how he resisted to its powers for over a year until it almost possessed him.

''But why would they need the book? The only rings of power known to exist are safe...and the history itself is known to them also...unless...'' As Legolas solved the riddle his eyes became dark and a jolt of panic rose in his stomach...

''The prophecy... the prophecy was written on paper only once... in a single-unique book...''

''Yes Legolas, "The book of The Ring" contains the prophecy and the _Nazgul_ moving means they have felt the born of their new master also...'' Elrond grabbed the shoulder of his godson,

''Hurry Legolas, go and find this wizard who you think it can be trusted. I'll leave for The Shire at sunset. Wait for me on the highest tower on the east side, tree days from now at breaking down''.

* * *

><p>''Albus, please revise the plans for these year OWLs, I don't want another reschedule of the astronomy exam because of clouds..''<p>

''Very well headmaster, I'll see what I can do.''

As Albus Dumbledore, deputy headmaster and Transfiguration teacher climbed the stairs towards the astronomy tower, he once again sighed and hopped that headmaster Dippet will resign soon.

Albus Dumbeldore, one of the greatest wizards of the last century was just a teacher. He defeated Grindewald, he became a member of every Defence Against the Dark Arts society that counted and was even asked to become Minister of Magic a few times, but he loved to teach and watching over the safety of his pupils was much more stisfying than fighting mad wizards. He loved kids and loved to see how eleven year old ones evolved in seven years at Hogwarts and became powerful wizards ready to face the world. The world no muggle knew. A world were wonder and greatness were often entwined with danger and grotesque.

Dumbledore was a tall and thin wizard but surprisingly strong. His taste for funky robes was well known and you could often spot a tall man dressed in blue robes with sparkling stars going trough shops in the Diagon Alley. He had a long white beard which he tied with a silver ring. On his slightly crooked nose rested a pair of half moon spectacles even though it was not certain if the wizard had eye problems or he wore them for stile. His "cool"nature was completed by his long white hair braided in a simple flat pony tail tied with a silver band. He loved pointy hats but his favourite was a small flat hat with a tassel on top, a gift from his first real girlfriend.

Needless to say, his eyes held the true power of his spirit. One look was enough to see that beyond the kindness off a grandfather stood a powerful wizard with years and years of battle against dark forces. A keen eye could have spotted some other traces of an unknown sadness and maybe a bit of a childish nature, but this was not for everyone to see. Albus Dumbledore's name meant something to any wizard or magical creature, from a ministry worker to a dark wizard, from a house elf to a giant, he was either loved, hated, respected or feared, but mostly loved and respected.

Reaching the top of the stairs the wizard pushed open the hatch and climbed to the platform were in a few weeks fifth year students will create star charts for an "Outstanding OWL".

Since all the other teachers were busy preparing their students for exams... his skillful and multi tasking nature got him loads of extra work like charming the classes with anti-cheating charms or preparing general exam topics.

Raising his wand towards the sky, the wizard made circular moves above the platform and lazy white circles rose to create a dome over the tower... _**"Serenus nubis absque nubes et fero in sidera"**_.

As he spoke the incantation, the dome glowed white and then became clear, reflecting like a glass surface over the astronomy tower. Even tough the sky was black and full of clouds from under the dome it looked like the clearest sky in a hot summer night.

Pleased with his bit of magic (it was a charm that few knew and even fewer could cast ), Albus Dumbledore turned to leave but a movement caught his eye in the left side of the platform, right beyond the shadows. There were many things Albus Dumbledore used in his battles, little tricks of mind and body which could throw off ballance almost any wizard, but there was something he never liked and that was an atack from behind.

'' I'm afraid I do not know you sir...and I don't particularly like to be watched from the shadows either... '' the wizard spoke softly watching a particularly bright star.

Being an experienced wizard Dumbledore knew that when he was at disadvantage he had to keep calm and try to find out who he was dealing with. The wizard kept his wits , his hand discreetly sliding to his left sleeve for his wand. He almost reached it when a voice from the shadow spoke and this time, two unearthly blue eyes glow in the dark,

''It would be very sad to force me to disarm you professor, please let your wand in your sleeve. You may be the best wizard of mankind but tonight you are too outmatched to win this duel.''

A smirking wizard or an impulsive one were easy to understand and predict their moves but a calm one...that voice...there was an accent who made Dumbledore think of ages long forgotten, that voice was far too old to deceive. Realizing he had no other options the wizard turned to face his opponent. As his eyes met those of the stranger, for the first time in his life Albus Dumbledore felt hypnotized... there stood a creature of lost ages. The depths of those eyes were endless...as if they have been watching over world for centuries without rest...as if they could see in the very soul of a man.

''What..are..you?'', the wizard took a great effort not to look as surprised as he felt.

As the figure shifted a bit in the dark it finally spoke again,

''Well, I'm a creature of Light! So you will believe what I'm about to tell you. I do not intent to kill you, for murder to those of my kind can't be washed, not even with the blood of the murderer.''

His voice was so sincere the wizard never hesitated and let a sigh of relief to escape his lips. The stranger spoke again,

''My name is Legolas, son of Thranduil. I am an elf...and I ask you to not miss-relate me with the creatures you call "house elves" for my kind has no connection with them, even though their magic resembles a bit with ours''.

Even though surprised, his curious and avid learning nature bested him and Dumbledore started to think over the many tomes he had studied in his lifetime. He encountered this concept many times, but everything suggested the silvan elvish kind never lived in the same age of mankind.

''An elf..I thought you were a myth...or at least, creatures that disappeared long before man ever walked this earth..'' the wizard felt suddenly excited, like he was challenged with a difficult riddle.

As the elf walked into the light his tall and slender figure was revealed. This creature was looking quite like any other wizard but he was a bit taller and his eyes, were nothing you could see in a human. He had slightly pointy ears and his blond-greyish hair was falling on his back. His clothes were somehow natural...as alive... with floral and earthly motives. Made from dragon hide and vines his cloak had a brown neutral colour which made it blend in any environment. On his back, the wizard spotted a golden long bow made of yew and engraved with a long curvy tipe of writing and on his waist two long golden knives with curved blades.

He's whole figure suggested power, both physical and mental, but also grace... his pace was silent and Albus Dumbledore could bet that if the elf would walk in the Great Hall at lunch hours and no one would even notice him.

His grey eyes had the same structure as humans but something in the way his irises moved hinted a powerful eyesight, able to see through great distances, but also magic and spirit.

In spite of his warrior look, the elf seemed no older than twenty years at best and his face although sharp had very kind features.

As the wizard's confusion grew back the elf replied,

''You have many questions Albus Dumbledore... but this is not the time nor the place to answer them. My mission was to come here and talk to you, for you have been chosen as a trusted wizard and the lost races are ready to let you find the truth beyond your magic. Dark times approaches fast and the wizardkind has a big part to play for many sufferance will soon be brought by one of your kind.''

If Legolas seemed respectful and diplomat a few moments ago, now his tone had a finality which made the wizard question if he really had a choice or not...

For being one of the most experienced wizards in the country, Dumbledore was quite surprised but also excited. Before him, there was one creature about which he only heard rumours. That beeing broke all the pillars of his knowledge about what he was and were his magic came from. Being curious in his nature the wizard looked once again in the elf's eyes and decided,

''Very well master Legolas, what do I have to do?''

* * *

><p>Sitting cross legged and watching the sunrise Legolas spotted a flying silhouette in the east...it was a great eagle no doubt one related with the king of the eagles – Gwahir. As he got closer the eagle's real dimensions were revealed... the white prey bird was 3 meters tall and his length from a wing to the other was around 15 meters. As he got closer enough to <em>Imladris<em>, the giant eagle went into a dive and in the last second reopened his wings making him hover gracefully over the tower's balcony.

On his back stood mounted Elrond, it seemed as natural as horse riding even though flying beyond the clouds was not so easy.

As soon as Elrond got down of the eagle's back Legolas saw in his eyes a sadness of death but also a glimpse of relief and hope.

''We need to talk Legolas... meet me in ten minutes in The Hall of the Everlasting Fire .''

Entering The Hall, Legolas saw Elrond near the great marble fireplace resting his eyes on the eternal fire. The elf joined and set his eyes in the same flames calming himself, letting his fears burn..

''Any survivors?''

''None. The wraiths came and slashed all the hobbits then set the village on fire...'' Elrond's voice was grim and beyond the obvious sadness lurked a long building rage.

''What about the book? Is everything lost now?''

''No dear godson... the book was taken but it seems the whole village died to protect at least a part of the prophecy... this is what I found in the hand of a hobbit child near the forest..'' Elrond opened his fist and showed Legolas a piece of parchment written in a very complicate and stylish writing,

_...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..._

_The Champion of Light will bring back the old ways..._

_and elves will rise, wraiths will die and The Fellowship will be revived._

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..._

_and he is The White Wizard's heir! "_

''The child carrying this had an elvish travelling cloak and a few crumbs of lembas bread in his pocket... most likely he tore the piece of paper and run to hide but a black arrow struck him...''

Being as old as the Earth itself, Elrond had seen a lot of cruel things in his long life but the dead cold child... he had to unclench his little fist to remove the piece of paper and then close his still open eyes... images from the long Ring Wars invaded his mind ...''

''But the dark lord has just been born...will the wraiths know how to find him?''

Being pulled to the surface of calm again, Elrond frowned,

''No, they can't ...they will seek him only when he calls them...let's hope he will find the secret behind his heritage in a time when we will be better prepared. Unfortunately, the first part of the prophecy, the one he will get is important also... that part will help him find the champion... ''

As Elrond watched Legolas's eyes the younger elf sensed in his godfather a deep feeling of helplessness,

''Until he attacks we will not know who the champion is...we must hope the heir of The White Wizard will be powerful and prepared enough to hold until he will hear the elvish call...things are out of our reach for now Legolas... '' .

* * *

><p><em>A month later<em>

In Rivendell once again there were made preparations for a wizard. Since The Final Council, five ages ago, when all the lost races decided to vanish from the human history , from time to time, trusted wizards were chosen. Their mission was to keep the guild of wizards in contact with the elves and the history of Middle Earth for when the time comes and the dark lord will rise to be ready for battle.

Nicolas Flamel was the last one to come to Rivendell and he proved to be a great wizard beyond any doubt. With the help of the elves he found the secret of "The Philosopher's Stone" which gave him the chance to grasp immortality. But his secret was found in the wizarding world and the dark wizard- Grindewald tracked him. In order to preserve the lost races secret, Flamel chose to leave his world and turned to the dwarfs into the Mines of Moria to study mithril and to find an easier way to extract it.

After his encounter with Legolas, Albus Dumbledore was more excited than he could remember in a long time... when he came to teach at Hogwarts he thought his days of adventures and mortal peril were gone but now he felt excited... he was ready for a new challenge.

To leave the school before OWLs was not an easy thing especially when an incompetent headmaster like Dippet was dropping all the real work on his shoulders but he made it. Somehow even Dumbledore got sick once in a life time and he had to get treatment away from school.

In the morning light, right after sun rise near Stonhenge a small pop broke the silence. Albus Dumbledore apparated wearing his favourite purple robes, his eyes sporting a particularly strong twinkle. Taking a second to check for unwanted company, he turned towards the monument finally sensing the magical vibrations coming from the ancient site. It was obvious this was some sort of a teleporting spot, built over a great magical node. Approaching the site, Dumbledore felt the atmospheric pressure rise and then the puffy white clouds became dark. This magical spot was going in some kind of reaction with Dumbledore's powers and the wizard felt it like a probe in his magical core. The place was testing his nature and heart and he was sure this was a way to prevent any dark soul to walk on elvish lands.

Dumbledore, had no choice, he had to walk further or to step back and that was not an option. Going in the middle of the rocks he stood and recited a password Legolas gave to him:

"_**Im no hur. Dunedhil od Imladris. Im no mellon!"**_

He sensed the magic turning from neutral to benign and then a beam of light surrounded the huge rocks connecting every one of them in a huge network. Right above the circle, the clouded sky was marked with firey letters:

"_**Stranger! This is a road made by Light for Light. Walk with pure heart or beware!''**_

The wizard read and almost chuckled at the warm and kind feeling that surrounded him. His intentions were pure and the place accepted him so he spoke happy:

"_**I am the Light!"**_

As soon as the wizard spoke he felt as light as feather. The pressure dropped and the gravity seemed to lower also. He felt lighter and lighter until the sky seemed to become earth and the earth seemed to become the sky. He walked into the Valley of Rivendell.

Rivendell was the last kingdom of elves. As they came from across the sea in immemorial time in an attempt to save some comrades taken prisoners by The Witch-King of Angmar they had to retreat and so they found protection and home in a valley carved in the mountain by a waterfall. The river carved over the centuries a little canyon. On the highest plateau of the valley, where the great waterfall crashed thousands of gallons of clear water in the river bellow the elvish house of Elrond stood.

Many thought that Hogwarts was the masterpiece of four wizards from the old ages but as Dumbledore watched in awe Elrond's palace he understood that Hogwarts was hardly a stone replica of what Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Grifindor, Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin have seen here.

On the western side of the valley a white castle with a rock base and wood towers dominated the entire sight. The towers were built from twisted alive trees, the roots engulfed the lower walls made from rock parting only to let openings for windows or balconies. At a closer look the palace was clearly a composition of a few little castles linked together with marble bridges and moss paths.

The roofs were a pale shade of red covered with vivid green ivy. In the private gardens between the towers on the upper level, small fountains with clear water murmured and attracted all kinds of small birds, chipmunks and butterflies. The whole palace was nestled in a thick forest with only one stone path which connected the castle to the river side hundreds of feet below. In the mountain wall under the palace huge caves opened towards the waterfall and the other wall. Caves from the opposite walls were connected with mobile wood bridges and there were the stables, the training areas and the nests of the eagles the elves rode.

Finally, at the base of the valley on a high ledge near the stream there were the cottages of a few elf families who preferred to be near alone from the others.

As if this was not enough to wonder Dumbledore as he stood on the shore of Bruinen River he looked up to the castle gates once again and saw them open. A green elf on a superb white horse darted in full speed on the sinuous stone path...

The horse was a mearas... a direct descendant of Shadowfax, Gandalf's horse. His mane was long enough to touch the ground and his eyes had something almost human in the way they focused.

As the elf reached Dumbledore he dismounted the great horse and spoke something to him. The horse turned slowly and walked towards a patch of grass not letting his master out of sight.

_''Im Elrond brannon od dunedhil!_ I am Elrond, lord of the elves! Greetings to you Albus son of Percival, welcome to _Imladris_ the last kingdom of the elves!''

Elrond had all the common features that Legolas showed, but his hair was black and his eyes were green... a vivid piercing green that he was going to remember. He seemed a bit older than the other elf and his posture was somehow more royal and commanding. It was clear that this elf was an army leader...

''I greet you lord Elrond and please forgive me if by mistake I bring you any offence! The ways of the elves, their customs and traditions are unknown to me.. ''. Dumbledore was quite proud of his diplomatic skills and as a fact he was one of the few wizards to speak gobbledegook and know their customs, he could talk with merpeople and even understand parsletongue , but this time he felt like one of his pupils in the headmaster's office.

Elves opinion about humans was quite different from person to person and even Elrond had to admit he often thought that this world would be better without them... but they gave birth to the wizards... they were the past, the present and the future of this world and they had the greatest losses in battles against dark lords and dark magic.

This wizard's attitude reminded Elrond of Gandalf... the same blue eyes, long beard and same dignified but often childish figure. He instantly liked him.

''Do not worry my friend I know you will respect our kind at the best of your abilities. I understand you already spoke to my godson Legolas... I hope he was informative enough...''.

Dumbledore stood silent and for the first time in many years he felt at peace with the world, but most important with himself. This Valley gave a feeling of protection he only felt at Hogwarts.

Walking alongside Elrond, he let the elf lord show him his palace and meet the last elves alive. It was obvious that once upon a time, the elves have been a numerous and powerful people but now in Rivendell were a little over two hundred souls.

Reaching the Hall of the Everlasting Fire the elf motioned Dumbledore to take a seat and spoke to him

''There are three main lost races my friend, elves, dwarfs and ents. You're world knows the goblins, but not entirely so you may consider them a part of this too... soon you will meet the others but until then I must explain your purpose. From time to time the lost races chose a trusted wizard to share their secrets and bring him in our world. The wizarding world believes that magic and magical people were born from Merlin's lineage. Indeed a great wizard he was but I must tell you that Merlin was just an apprentice... of a much powerful one.''

Telling a wizard that Merlin was not the first wizard to walk the face of the earth was almost like telling a Christian that God did not exist but Dumbledore kept his wits and watched the elf waiting for some explanation.

''When the elves came to Middle Earth they found this land empty, but soon a new race was born... a branch from our genealogical tree gave birth to humans. They needed protection and guidance so the gods sent the wizard to complete this task. The greatest of all was Gandalf. There were others too but in the end they proved to be either weak or corrupt. At the end of life Gandalf gave the lost races two tasks. One was to vanish from humans life and history for it was time to let them evolve freely and the other was to prepare... to prepare for a day when a Dark Lord will rise and we will need to help the one who will stand against him. Near his death Gandalf chose his first and final apprentice Merlin... from him, the wizardkind was reborn and you grew in numbers.''

„And what is my part in all of this Elrond?"

''We have chosen you, Albus, son of Percival, to become the new trusted wizard. ''

Dumbledore felt privileged to be part of what he always wanted... a fight for "The greater good" and so he accepted.

''Elrond, I will do everything that it is in my power to guard your secrets and I will learn as much as you will share with me.''

The elf smiled kindly, ''Indeed Albus and so I shall send you to your teacher... you will be close enough to Hogwarts to model the young minds of your students and become the headmaster Hogwarts needs.''

Elrond looked once again in the wizard's eyes,

''When you feel ready, go into the Forbidden Forest at the boundaries of Hogwarts land and call,

"_**Enyd, Im dunedhil mellon!"**_ a friend of mine the oldest being of this earth, an ent, will take you to the Valley of the Ents were time has no meaning and the water gives life. He knows about the lost races more than anyone and as a matter of fact I believe you have quite similar characters... you should get along...'' said Elrond with a chuckle.

''Very well lord of the elves I will give my best for this cause.''

Dumbledore stood proud and happy feeling like he was just starting the biggest adventure of his life. The elf contemplated for a bit and then he turned towards a high ledge and smiled,

''Albus I'l offer you a gift to seal our friendship'' Elrond whistled long and sharp and a red majestic bird flew from a high ledge...

''...Phoenix...'' Dumbledore watched amazed as the bird came and landed on his shoulder...

''This is Fawkes and he will be your link to us... his role is to protect the trusted wizard and transport him anywhere in the world in a blink of an eye.''

Elrond set his right arm over the wizard's shoulder and bid him farewell,

''Go my friend, learn what is to be learned and prepare for what battles may come.'' as he spoke, Dumbledore was engulfed in the phoenix flames and found himself again in his Hogwarts Quarters.


	2. Chapter II

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**This chapter is a little bit shorter. R&R**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-The boy who lived-**

It was a chilly night on 31 October 1981 and Albus Dumbldore felt tired... he chuckled thinking about a certain hobbit who knew the best way to express this feeling- like too little butter scraped over too much bread.

In his chair behind the desk in the headmaster's office, Dumbledore had another long sleepless night trying to decide if he should confront again this new Dark Lord or stay in the school protecting his beloved students.

For some reason, since the war broke loose, Dumbledore thought it wasn't his fight anymore. He was the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and his duty was to protect his students and the school grounds...and boy he did a good job. For over ten years the Death Eathers didn't even mentioned the school's name in front of their dark master. That castle stood tall and powerful, nothing could penetrate the school defences... Hogwarts was a school, a shelter for war victims and most important, the headquarters of The Order of The Phoenix.

For almost twenty years Voldemort, a sadistic, dark wizard terrorized the wizarding world and now his reign of terror seemed to get even greater. Dozens of great wizards, aurors and hundreds of non-magical people were tortured and killed...

The wizardkind used to laugh at muggles for their wars and atrocities, calling themselves pure and civilized but now it was all in the past... while the muggles were fighting for peace all over the world and dozens of countries were beginning to question their communist leaders, the wizards lived in fear and despair.

The headmaster of Hogwarts had a hard time coping with everything, The Order of the Phoenix he founded to fight against this dark lord had now 24/7 work protecting muggleborn wizards, the Saint Mungo Hospital and other important sites in the wizarding community.

Even though one of the Ministry of Magic duties was to protect the muggles from the dark wizards , the efforts to protect the wizarding world left the non-magical people with no defence. Muggle Officials all over the world threatened with revealing the secret and retaliation if the long list of mysterious deaths will not stop.

Through all this thoughts, a simple flash of memory...an address that suddenly surfaced in his mind made Dumbledore jump from his seat proving that his age was not an impediment.

''Fawkes, get Hagrid!''

For his age, Dumbledore was very fast when need it and as soon as his phoenix went to get Hagrid, he took a hand of floo powder and threw it into the smoking fire place,

''Minerva come to my office! ''

Not waiting for an answer, the headmaster took his wand and sent a dozen patronuses in the night with messages for the order members.

In just a few moments, Fawkes was back with Hagrid and Minerva McGonogal, teacher of Transfiguration entered the office without knocking.

''Albus, what happened? '' A middle age woman wearing a long black robe entered hastly, sleep still lingering on her eyes. In spite of that she inspired great inteligence and discipline.

Knowing he had to be clear and fast the headmaster didn't delayed a second,

''_The Fidelius Charm_ that protected the Potters has been broken...they have been discovered.''

''No...that can't be happening!'' Minerva McGonogal gave a small sob, recomposing almost instantly she left as fast as she came to prepare the school for worse.

''Hagrid, you come with me!'' The half giant looked still shocked from the bad news.

Dumbledore turned towards the former headmasters pictures and gave a few orders then grabbed Fawkes by his tail feathers with a hand while grabbing Hagrid's coat with the other.

''To Godric's Hollow my friend!''

The fire engulfed both wizard and half giant and in a moment they landed in what could described as a war scene. The beautiful cottage that once belonged to Albus Dumbledore stood half destroyed and a fire was rapidly spreading.

''No! James! Lily! Harry!'' Hagrid threw himself into the fire calling his two friends and their newborn son. James and Lily Potter were one of his most beloved friends at Hogwarts. They treated him as a normal person and cared about his feelings when no one seemed to think he had any...

Seeing the headmaster performing spells to stop the fire and the crumbling of the house he went deeper searching the ruins. As soon as he opened the front door, the image of James Potter lying dead made him howl in pain. The half giant took James's body in his arms crying and then placed him far from the fire.

Calling Lily he went upstairs into the bedroom were he was greeted by a terrifying scene.

''Headmaster come here! '' Hearing his name, Albus Dumbledore ran towards the ruins and then Apparated to the second floor where Hagrid was. As he opened the door he saw the back wall shattered. It was obvious the explosion came from this room. In the middle of the room between drawers and wood splinters a pale white silhouette clothed in short black robes with no sleeves laid dead. On the edge of the floor next to the gap were the wall should have been, was a small cradle with a beautiful read haired woman barely breathing next to it. In the cradle was a small child with a tuft of messy black hair on his head and a most intriguing scar on his forehead shaped as a lighting bolt. The child was uncommonly quiet and for such a small baby he seamed almost sad.

The woman was Lily Potter and the child was her son, Harry.

''Lily, I'm coming!'' Hagrid tried to reach them but Dumbledore had to pull him from the crumbling floor.

''Hagrid! The floor is too fragile, I'll go!''

Kneeling in front of her, Albus had a deja vu felling... Pulling the young woman in his arms he brushed the red locks from her face and she opened her eyes,

''Albus...Harry...he tried to kill him...I took the curse'' Her voice was fading rapidly and Albus knew she talked about the _Avada-Kedavra_ killing curse...but she should have been dead on the spot...her and the child...

''James is dead too and Voldemort... he talked about a prophecy Albus... about elves and wraiths...'' She coughed blood and her breathing became shallow.

''Take care of Harry...and tell him...we...loved him very...'' her voice died and also her eyes. The lovely and vivacious Lily Potter was no more.

Seeing her dying in his arms enraged Dumbledore beyond limits. He placed this family under his protection and once again his plan was destroyed. The Potters were the future of the wizarding world, they represented a new generation of powerful wizards with no care about blood status...

Bitter tears fell freely from his old eyes sliding to his beard. He was so sad... as he closed the woman's eyes he laid her on the floor without hearing Hagrid scream and asking if she was going to be ok. Like in a dream, he took the child from the cradle and wrapped him in a soft blanket. The headmaster took the child and gave him to Hagrid.

''I know you will protect him with your life Hagrid...''

The half giant was now crying freely with big tears falling from his cheeks.

''The aurors must not see the child. Take him to Hogwarts and tell Poppy to take care of him. I'll be back soon.''

Hagrid was too shaken to respond. His enormous hands took the baby like the most fragile and delicate being in the world and then he started to descend the stairs carefully making his way back outside.

Prophecy, elves...wraiths? Albus Dumbledore felt his rage upscale to a point where he was glad no one was there. He had to ask a certain elf if something has slipped his mind when they were talking about The Dark Lord. Levitating James and Lily's body outside he turned for the last dead men in the house. At least there was something to celebrate in this hellish picture. The dead silhouette in the middle of the room was Voldemort.

The dark lord of the century who killed more wizards and muggles than anyone would have liked to count. As a former student under the name of Tom Riddle this man proved to be outstanding but things are not always what they seem to be. Disappearing from the wizarding world a few years after graduation he returned ten years after ready to wipe out the muggles and muggle born. He killed and tortured up to the point where his name became tabu. The wizards called him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named... this monster was almost unbeatable but somehow a mother and the love for her child banished his villainous soul from this life... or at least he hopped...

Cracks announcing the Apparition of the auror division were heard near the cottage and Dumbledore decided that it would be much better to leave without being seen. As the aurors entered the house the headmaster of Hogwarts shade a final bitter tear while being covered in phoenix flames.

As soon as Dumbledore reached Hogwarts even though it was 5:00 in the morning he knew everyone in the castle was up and about. Most of teachers were obviously shocked and a few of them were still crying. The news Hagrid beared were more than anyone could handle.

Walking into infirmary the headmaster saw Madam Pomfrey, prof. McGonagall and prof. Pomona Sprout bent over the little bed were Harry Potter was laid.

The small child had his father's messy hair and seemed to be healthy, but his eyes were a constant wonder. Even at such an early age, Harry Potter expressed through his beautiful green eyes a multitude of emotions. He didn't cry or struggle, the child was searching for someone.

Dumbledore watched from afar how the little baby turned his head a few times and then... stop and give a small sob. His eyes so vivid a few moments ago became dark like a veil was drawn over.

The Headmaster, still mesmerized with the perceptiveness and native intelligence of this baby approached slowly.

''What is the child's condition Poppy?''

Almost startled by the sudden presence of Dumbledore the nurse walked away from the bed and took Dumbledore into her office.

Sitting behind her desk the nurse took a sip from her coffee cup and gave a sigh,

''Headmaster, the child is in perfect physical condition unless you count that odd shaped scar on his forehead...but mentally...''

Since he saw the child Albus knew there was something special about this "mature" baby and he couldn't stop thinking about those fascinating eyes. They were his mother's , but there was something beyond that, something nonhuman...

Interrupting his own train of thoughts ,Dumbledore got up from his seat,

''Poppy, I just wanted to thank you for the way you handled the situation...please keep Harry under observation for today. Put him in a cradle and give him a dreamless sleep drought. Feed him and tonight prepare him for travel...''

The nurse seemed to want to protest. The child was healthy but she became instantly fond with the boy and Dumbledore knew that. The baby's eyes were quite something.

''Very well headmaster.''

Walking out of the nurse's office, Dumbledore called prof. McGonagall,

''Minerva, please walk with me.''

As the two teachers wandered the school corridors the two teachers resembled more with two old friends. Minerva McGonogall let Dumbledore tell her the whole story interrupting only to give a small sob at his favourite pupils fate. After the headmaster finished his recount, Minerva walked a little further and then stopped to look at her friend,

''Albus, what are you going to do with Harry? Obviously someone will have to take care of him... There are many families who will gladly raise Harry Potter as their own son...Remus is unable to become a guardian because of his...problem, but Sirius...no, better not, I don't want to even meet a child raised by him... ''

In spite of this tragedy, Albus Dumbledore could not stop a faint smile as he watched prof. McGonogal talking so fast and not even trying to keep her stern and severe figure. It was obvious she cared about the child as much as she cared about his parents... but Harry Potter could not stay in the wizarding world...

Dumbledore knew he was walking into a mine field with his decision but it was the best he could think of,

''Minerva, today I will need your special talents for a bit of a reconnaissance mission. ''

Still rambling about Harry and possible families the Transfiguration teacher stopped abruptly and watched Dumbledore with inquisitive eyes.

The wizard gathered his thoughts for a second,

''Minerva, The Potters were betrayed by someone... '' the Transfiguration teacher's eyes became even more curious. ''The charm I used was my invention... and it needed a secret keeper... without this key person who had to know where they were, the charm could not function... ''

Minerva knew right away that bad news were about to come...The Potters had only a few trusted friends and they all were former students of her own. With a slightly hoarse voice she rested her back against the wall and asked,

''Who was it Albus? Remus or Sirius? ''

For some time, the Order knew someone was playing the double spy but they could not find out whom. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were under scrutiny after Peter Pettigrew came drunk at a meeting and told Alastor Mody and Dumbledore that his friends were late because they stopped for a drink in a well known Death Eater pub.

„I'm affraid it's Sirius, Minerva... he was the secret keeper." There was much dissapointment in his voice.

''But why Albus? Why would he do that? '' She was more upset and enraged then Dumbledore ever saw her,

''I don't have an answer Minerva... the aurors are looking for him right now. ''

After he already tried to delay his request as much as possible, Dumbledore knew he had to tell her what he had in plan for the most famous wizard child in the world,

With a typical twinkle the headmaster looked in Minerva's eyes

''Minerva I have a plan for Harry... he is going to be the most famous person in this world... every child and parent will know about The Boy Who Lived...and he won't be safe... I must take him somewhere else...''.

Prof. McGonogall's upset look was suddenly replaced by a venomous glare,

''Albus, you don't mean you want to hide him don't you?'' McGonagall watched Dumbledore hoping her fears were unfounded.

''I'm afraid this is the best solution. I will give you an address were Harry's aunt- Petunia Dursley lives... please watch the area today...see if any of Voldemort's followers know the place..''

''But Albus you can't...'' Minerva McGonagall was decided to fight this decision but Dumbledore surprised her with a very tender gesture, he closed the space between them and then bent to rest his forehead on hers...

''No buts Minerva... today I lost two persons who were more precious to me than anyone... they were like my children Minerva...'' his voice broke and for the first time since his sister died Dumbledore spilled tears in front of someone... he hugged Minerva and cried softly on her shoulder..

It was a moment of weakness and Minerva knew that Albus would have never broke out in front of anyone else besides her...

Her anger was replaced with a mix of sadness and pity for a man who just kept losing everyone he loved.

''Very well Albus...even if I don't agree with you I will respect and support your decision.''

Composing himself Dumbledore hugged Minerva one more time and gave her a kiss on her cheek...

''Thank you Minerva. You know I try to do the best for Harry...I know someday he will blame me for this but I must protect him...Voldemort may be dead but a lot of his followers are still there. The Death Eathers will seek revenge...''

Standing in the middle of the hallway, they saw that the headmaster's office was near and now they understood why strolling on Hogwarts corridors was so dangerous for students, this castle had a tendency to guide you right into the lion's mouth.

Dumbledore's serenity vanished instantly and spoke in low tone she never heard him address to a student or a teacher.

''Minerva watch the Dursley's today...I must go and talk to someone... find some truths.'' Dumbledore's face became harsh... in only a few hours Minerva McGonagall saw on her friend's face, grieve, grandfatherly love and now...rage...and that was something new.

Albus called Fawkes who flew on his shoulder.

''You know where to take me my friend...''

* * *

><p>Elrond walked at a slow pace on the corridor of the second floor when a thunder made the whole valley tremble...then another one...and another one and this time one of the lower bridges cracked under the tension created between the vibrating mountain walls.<p>

''In name of Elbereth!'' He shouted, but his castle was so big and his followers so few he only heard his echo.

A few chambers and corridors later he heard from his left a well too familiar clank of battle shoes and then a few elves in golden armours came and kneeled in front of him,

''My lord, The Wizard arrived a few moments ago...and he is angry...''

Elrond closed his eyes and reached a hand to a white root leaning on the wall next to him. Immediately the surrounding noise faded and he connected to the natural network of the valley. He felt every bird and living being, every pulse of water in plants and every beating heart, but then he felt a magical power. This power was so strong it left an alkaline taste in his mouth and the core had a familiar signature.

The White Wizard was there, but he was angrier than he ever saw him.

''Retreat all the elves and under any circumstances do not make a move, unless I tell you so. Now go!''

As the thunder storm continued, the elf lord ran towards the first garden that came in his way and then to the railing. It was a particularly nice and calm day, but what was going on the river's shore made him quite nervous.

A very stern Dumbledore wearing a blank expressionless face walked towards the gates and with every step he took another thunder erupted making the air around him crackle with small lightnings. As the wizard stopped and looked towards the garden were Elrond stood, the elf could have swear that Gandalf has returned from one of his many wanderings with bad news and nasty temper.

With a voice that seemed to boom from the skies Albus Dumbledore felt his rage surpass any reason,

''YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINIG TO DO, ELROND, LORD OF THE ELVES! ''

For a moment Elrond felt it would have been better if the wizard would continue to thunder with every step than speak. Dumbledore's voice seemed powerful enough to make a god cower in fear. Watching the wizard walk with thunders under his feet, the elf lord knew it was time to answer some uncomfortable questions,

''Albus, my friend, let the river wash your fury and come to speak to me. I understand your rage...''

**''IF YOU UNDERSTAND MY RAGE, MAYBE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I WISH TO MAKE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF MY MOST BELOVED STUDENTS...FRIEND!**

**SPEAK! LORD OF THE ELVES, WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS PROPHECY?''**

Deciding that the best way to make the wizard listen was to stand before him as a true elf, Elrond jumped from the high ledge and disappeared in middle air only to reappear moment lather behind the wizard.

Bad decision...

As soon as the elf Apparated behind Dumbledore, he felt a hand grab his neck and lift him above the ground.

In his entire life, Elrond never met a human who could outrun or outmatch an elf in terms of force but he felt Dumbledore's arm like a steel vice around his throat.

''I am fairly sure you know that a wizard can be very powerful when consumed by strong emotions, Elrond'' The calm and cold voice of the wizard told him that this was not a time for riddles...

''When I first saw an elf I thought that those eyes can see into the very soul of man...and I knew I saw them somewhere else in the past..now I know...'' the wizard's rage grew again ''because I had to close eyes like those, last night...to close them forever...'' a rock near by the size of a small house splintered in half under the pressure in the air...

Elrond kept calm knowing that his fault was undeniable and spoke softly

''Even though my excuses cannot bring your beloved ones back, I have to tell you I'm sorry Albus...and I promise I will tell you everything...

Dumbledore seemed to study Elrond's eyes, for a moment a surprised look washed his face, but then he loosened his grip and spat through clenched teeth,

''Then speak fast elf...my patience is running low today...

* * *

><p>With the prophecy still booming in his head Albus Dumbledore walked slowly on a lonely street of Little Whinging, Surrey. His tall and thin frame made his age hard to guess and the blue robes he was wearing would have attracted a lot of stares if it wasn't for the late hour of the night. The headmaster had a lot to think...he now knew about the prophecy that made the Potters a target and about the wraiths who seemed to be one of the most dangerous creatures he ever heard of. The thing that bothered him the most was that the prophecy wasn't fulfilled...the elves did not rose the wraiths did not fall and Harry didn't fight with Voldemort.<p>

For Albus Dumbledore was clear as water that somehow The Dark Lord defeated death...that he will return.

As he got closer to the address he was searching he let the troubled thoughts in the back of his mind and searched his pockets for something...it seemed to be some kind of a lighter but as he pressed on the side of it the street lights flew from their light-bolts in his hand.

Vanishing the lights he turned around searching the bushes for something...as he watched carefully he saw the distinct reflection of cat's eyes.

''I see you are still here professor McGonogall...''

As he spoke to her, the small cat with square marks around her eyes rose on two feet and in a blink of an eye her features became human.

''Good evening Albus. Have you brought the child?'' Minerva spoke in a concerned tone; she was obviously still against this plan.

''No, Hagrid will bring Harry in a few moments.''

Minerva McGonagall frowned thinking that Hagrid was not the most qualified person for such delicate job but she was used with the thrust Dumbledore placed in his big friend,

''Have you heard something new? Did Sirius really betray them?'' The Transfiguration teacher hopped until the last second that somehow the wild boy she used to give detention twice a day would not have betrayed his most loyal and caring friends.

Dumbledore sighed, ''I'm afraid he was their secret keeper Minerva, he was the only one who could have betrayed the Potters... the aurors and the order are still after him... but what worries me is that Peter is also missing.''

''Poor boy...he has lost all his friends...do you think he will do something rash?'' Minerva felt sorry for Peter, a not so bright student, but very loyal to the Potters.

''I don't know... I just hope he will not try to revenge his friends...''

As they were talking a laud roar of a classic motorbike ruptured the deep silence of the night. In the horizon a headlight was turned off and then on the street the hulking frame of Hagrid on a black motorbike landed slowly. Cradled in his arms was a small baby...

''Good evening professors, I brought Harry. Try not to wake him, please.'' Handling the child in a small basket to Dumbledore seemed for Hagrid to be one of the hardest things he ever had to do.

''Albus I must warn you, I watched this muggles a whole day and they are terrible... even for their sort. I have many doubts...'' Minerva felt once again that this decision to let Harry with his muggle relatives was a very bad one.

''I know Minerva, thrust me...I know...but this is the safest solution. He is a child and he must stay away from his fame and the danger that comes with it. He was protected by his mother and here he will be protected by the same blood...this kind of magic cannot be defeated not even by dark magic.''

Sighing once again Dumbledore placed the basket on the steps of the front door and felt a piece of his heart break,

''I must ask you to leave now...I guess I don't have to tell you that this night never happened...''

As Minerva McGonogal walked down the street she transformed in a cat, glistening tears runing on the furr of her face.

''Sir?'' Hagrid still watched the baby like a dragon mother would watch over her cub.

''Yes dear Hagrid? ''

''Will they take good care of Harry?'' the half giant's voice had a plea tone that made him feel like a very bad person. He knew from Lily and James what sort of persons were Vernon and Petunia Dursley...

''I'm sure they will Hagrid...I'm sure they will..''

Bending over the basket Hagrid kissed the sleeping baby's forehead and walked towards the bike sobbing in his handkerchief.

Dumbledore felt powerless... here he was a wizard that only hours ago made a silvan elf shudder and here he was in a world that finally was freed of Voldemort...but he still had to make one last foul deed...he had to hide the hero who in the last few hours became known world-wide as Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.

**NOTE: Thank you all for the reviews. I was happy to see some readers marked my story was marked as favourite.**

**I'll be back with another update next week. So, good? rubish?**

**Review and tell me.**


	3. Chapter III

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**Harry Potter : The Crownless King**

**-Death!-**

As soon as he and Cedric touched the cup, the strange pulling sensation behind his navel made the raven haired boy understand that something was wrong...very wrong.

They crushed hard on the ground, with the air pushed out of their lungs. Moments after finnaly getting their breaths back the two boys noticed the destination place was a deserted graveyard. Obviously it was out of use, with many broken stones and odd statues, this place was eerie alright, but there was also a deep stench of something boiling near by. With the fight from the labiritnh still in their heads, they exchanged a few words before advancing towards the center of the graveyard. They almost reached it, a few more statues, but the taller one halted for a moment of rest and grabbed the hand of a statue to keep his ballance. Because of age and bitter weather the statue was too fragile and it tilted to one side before crushing in big chunks on the ground.

Then everything went wrong:

"_Petrificus totalus !"_

A shaking familiar voice shouted the spell and instantly the two boys were frozen with only their eyes moving.

''Tie Potter on the stone grave!'' a sick, old voice commanded and a dirty men with a face that resembled a lot with the one of a rat came from behind one of the bigger stone graves and grabbed the shorter boy. Without even looking back, he flicked his wand towards the other one and spoke softly,

"_Avada-Kedavra..."_

Cedric's body was struck with a green jet of light erupted from the tip of the wizard's wand and he died...without a cry or even the time to blink Cedric Diggory was dead cold.

Seeing the tragedy happen before his eyes was enough for the other teenager to lose control. The anger mixed with fear gave him a boost of power and adrenaline. The full body-bind spell broke like a glass window in his face and he felt his joints free.

With the killer very close to him and no idea where his wand laid, the boy acted on instinct and grabbed his throat, making the wizard drop his own wand in surprise.

''I'll kill you bastard! I let you once live but this time it's final!''

He gritted his teeth ready to risk anything for his revenge. The boy was breathing fast with his face only an inch away from his. Thick veines were swelled on his neck and temples. For a scrawny teenager, the raven haired boy had enough strength to squeeze the throat of the killer. The dirty wizard was pinned to the ground not only by the force of the boy, but also by his eyes… the eyes of someone he knew… it felt like a rush of guilt and remorse. The lack of air was already making him feel dizzy, a few more seconds and he will die…

''Master! Help me!'' the rat faced wizard barely whispered his call before gagging from lack of air.

Behind the statue the crippled voice coughed again before mumbling a set of strange foreign words, folowed by the well known hissing of parsletongue.

The raven haired teenager was now all over the one who killed his friend using his hands to squeeze the killer's throat and his knees to keep his hands immobile. He was almost there, a few more seconds and Petter Petigrew, the one who betrayed his parents and killed his friend would die forever.

He felt the taste of revenge, his heart was pounding and his breathing was uneven. The violence of the act was almost addicting, with every struggle to squeeze harder the boy felt his own sufferance fade. Every insult, every time his face was slapped hard just for fun… the boy was transferring his pain to his victim and like it… the revenge was just a cover now, the pain was fading in his heart and that was all he wanted, but in the rush of the moment he didn't noticed the slick string of black smoke crawling silently on the ground, on his back and up to his right year in his head…a blinding pain from his scar spread in his head making the boy faint.

"_Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"_

The teenager who 10 minutes ago tried to choke to death a wizard now awoke being tied on a stone grave without any possible way to escape. His eyeglasses were lost somewhere on the ground and his poor eyesight didn't help to understand what's going on..

The scar on his forehead was throbbing with a pain that made thinking clear almost impossible.

"_Flesh - of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your master."_

The voice of Petter Pettigrew spoke trembling again and right after the incantation, his scream filled the night skies. The strong smell of blood filled the air, and the muffled sound of something falling in a cauldron filled with water echoed.

The boy's struggles to break loose only made the ropes to get tighter. He knew a snake was nearby, quite a big one judging by his hisses but something told the boy that his parsletoung will do no good.

As he tried to calm his pain and find a means to escape, the boy heard footsteps and before knowing what was happening, Petter recited a incantation next to him,

"_B-blood of the enemy…forcibly taken…you will…resurrect your foe."_

His voice was fade and it was obvious that whatever he did after the last incantation weakened him a lot. As the rat faced wizard spoke the incantation, he grabbed the boy's right arm and using a long silver knife he cut deep in his skin.

A sharp sting and the boy felt his blood flowing freely from his hand, his head became dizzy. He lost track of events and felt like time was passing really fast around him until he heard the only voice he didn't want to ever hear again.

''Robe me!''

And then a cold hand covered in scales touched his scar making his pain explode again

„O, no! Not him..." the boy felt a new wave of pain in his scar, but this time blood burst through it and covered his face... The blood loss made the boy faint again.

''We meet again Harry Potter!''

In the middle of the graveyard was a high tomb stone where an unconscious raven haired teenager was tied. A white silhouette, tall and dressed in a black robe approached the boy and watched him somehow amused. Near him, the rat-faced wizard was writhing in pain trying to stop the bleeding from what remained of his right arm.

The wizard in black robes was Lord Voldemort and he stood resurrected by his servant, feeling as powerful as ever. His skin was white and covered in scales, his face retained non of his former human features. With red lidless almond eyes and flat nose he resembled more with a snake.

Voldemort's long white nails slowly scratched the marble surface of the grave as he walked around the boy. His hollow eyes seemed to memorize every feature of the boy's face and he gave small mischievous chuckle seeing the faint stream of blood coming from his right year.

As he watched the unconscious boy he took one small stone from the ground, lifted it to his lip-less mouth and spoke to it. When the incantation was finished the small stone glow red and the Dark Lord let it fall on the ground. The sound of a grenade erupted as the stone touched the ground and all the tomb stones except the one near him crumbled. With a wave of his hand all the crumbled stones were washed by a powerful gust of wind creating around him a clean circular area. The wizard watched his work before smiling content,

"Better…" his love for symmetry and order was as great as his love for chaos and that made Lord Voldemort even more unpredictable.

The whimpers of his servant made him watch disgusted the wizard who sacrificed his hand to revive him.

''Wormtail, shut your mouth before I decide I need it for something else!''

Lord Voldemort's voice had the same consistency of a subtle poisonous gas...fade, low, but effective as his servant muted instantly. Standing next to him, Voldemort took his left arm and spoke softly. Wormtail howled again in pain but this time the dark lord ignored him and turned back in the middle of the circle.

In a few minutes black hooded wizards Apparated in silence standing on the edge of the circular area. As they knelled, Voldemort smirked proud that his presence made his followers tremble with fear even after thirteen years. He felt their magical cores and in spite of his arrogance, Voldemort had to admit that except a few wizards, most of them were just grown up bullies.

''Welcome my followers, I see you rushed to come to my calling... a shame you didn't rushed to search me all those years!'' As he spoke he lifted his right hand in the air and flexed his fingers like squeezing the air.

"_Crucio Maxima!_"

His voice was now clear and icy cold.

In a moment all his servants were writhing in pain screaming and begging for mercy. Voldemort let the curse run through their veins a few more seconds and then stopped.

''Master, please forgive us...''

One of the wizards broke the now reformed circle and came on his knees in front of his lord. From under the hood his blond long hair slipped touching the hem of Voldemort's robes.

''We stayed loyal to you...''

''Enough!'' Voldemort's voice made the Death Eather cower in fear and retreat hastily to his place.

''Do not even dare to speak to me about loyalty... I see you all here healthy and free and that can mean only one thing!''

The Death Eathers hold their breathes...

''You denied! ...you denied you were my followers! Told everything and anything you could just to be able to walk free'' his tone rose ''The only ones who have been loyal to me and will be repaid are those who now wait for me in Azkaban!''

Returning to his soft tone he turned towards Wormtail,

''Even this worthless rat over here was more loyal to me than you...''

As he said that he pulled a yellow wand form his robes and moving it in a complicate pattern he made a silver hand replace the one his servant sacrificed in the resurrection ritual.

Turning away from Wormtail who tried to kiss the hem of his robes for the twelfth time he looked once again towards his servants while a sadistic smile grew on his face.

''You are lucky tonight Death Eathers. The time for punishments will come but now I have a more important business to attend.''

Mocking a games announcer he turned towards the boy and shouted,

''Tonight we have in the dead corner, the one… and only...Boy Who Lived!''

Waving his wand he jolted the boy and woke him up.

In the laughter of more than a dozen Death Eathers the teenager woked scraping with his fingers the dried blood from his eyelids.

''I'm sorry Harry,'' he heard the mocking voice ''I forgot about your eyesight...'' he felt a pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose and he turned to see his nightmare come true. Voldemort was there! Alive! Harry Potter was to weak to cower in terror, he lifted his head towards him and a look of exhaustion crossed his face.

''Surprised Harry?'' With the same smirk mocking him, Voldemort watched his worst enemy, Harry Potter, resting with his back on the tomb stone trying to face him.

''Voldemort...''

Harry's voice was weak and he knew the only thing that kept him standing was the rock behind him. From the blood loss and intensive scar pain he was shaking and he knew he couldn't aim a wall from two feet away if he tried.

As the Death Eathers stopped laughing, Voldemort came and stopped in front of the boy,

''I'm afraid we have a problem Harry. You see... for more than fourteen years, my life has been reduced to a little more than a ghost...and that was because of you.'' His look was deadly sharp and his voice made Harry shiver .

''Fourteen years ago, I tried to kill you, but that muggle whore that you call "a mother" sacrificed herself and defeated me...It was my fault, I confess that I should have expected something so foolish from her...and then, since you came to Hogwarts, year upon year you meddled in my plans...''

Harry stood a bit higher feeling his knees a tad stronger. In spite of having Voldemort a few inches away the young wizard scanned the area with his tired eyes for help...a weapon...anything. And then he spotted it...his wand was a few feet away in a tuft of smoking grass.

''With dumb luck, human sacrifices and a lot of help from that old trickster you stayed alive and kept ignoring a small request that I made to you...''

Voldemort extended a long, white hand and grabbed the boy by his throat squeezing it.

''To die Harry'' his voice was almost grandfatherly ''To simply die...'' he jerked the boy backwards making his head bump painfully on the stone behind him.

The boy felt a numbness spread from the back of his head to his left side of body but struggled to stay lucid.

''You're time is up Harry Potter. Tonight we duel and you will die like you should have died fourteen years ago. Tonight you will become The Boy Who Died!''

As another roar of laughter arose from the ranks of Death Eathers, Voldemort walked away a few paces and turned swiftly with his wand ready,

''Too bad you don't have your wand Harry, it would have been more entertaining …'' but his sneer faded as he faced the young student with wand ready.

What escaped Voldemort's attention was the determination in Harry's eyes. His body felt worse than he ever remembered and the numbness in his left side didn't fade but the adrenaline and magic kept him up.

Since he remembered, Harry felt immune to fear. He was impossible to scare or frighten and the only thing that made him shudder were the Dementors.

After meeting Voldemort in different forms in his first two years at Hogwarts, Harry understood that The Dark Lord was no different. Standing in front of him and having no way to escape, Harry was trapped but he had to fight or die and in a second of thought he chose fighting.

''You did put a nice show Tom!'' As Harry spoke, angry shouts from the Death Eathers rose for no one dared to speak his real name freely.

The boy spat a mouth full of blood and couldn't stop smirking at his own courage. He felt this fight was between him and Voldemort, the pissed Death Eathers were just a bonus.

Raising a hand in the air to silence his servants, Voldemort watched the boy smirking,

''I see you have the courage to speak my name boy... and you will pay for that. Bow to me boy! Kneel in front of your master!''

"_Imperio!"_

The curse left Voldemort's wand before Harry could make a move and the boy suddenly felt a presence in his mind, fogging his thoughts and trying to bind his will. This was the mind controling curse, one of the unforgivebles.

"_Let your wand drop!" "Throw your wand away!" "Bow to me boy!" "Kneel!"_

In the back of his mind Harry heard Voldemort laughing and bragging,

"The boy has no power against me… no protection at all. I have his blood in my veins. I know more secrets now and I have more powerful allies… no one will stand against me! "

With eyes shut Harry relieved under the curse all the abuses and taunts he had to suffer in his fourteen years of life. Ignoring the voice in his head he felt the pain of years of beating and starvation… bowing in front of others only to be hit even harder. He had to change that, he had to confront his only and most terrifying fear. With all his will Harry broke loose from the spell and faced Voldemort again. His mind was intantly clearer and he quickly recovered his meagre ballance.

''That didn't work Tom...try something else...'' the boy spoke so calm and serene as if he had just been hit with a tickling curse.

Voldemort's rage grew as he watched the boy mocking him in front of his servants,

_''Crucio!'', ''CRUCIO!_ , you filthy half blood! Feel the pain and think twice before mocking me! ''.

Harry didn't attempt to block the spell, knowing it would be useless . As the curse hit him he felt the most primal pain possible. It was like a dozen of hot needles ripping their way from the inside out, running threw his veins and up to his head. He was decided to withstand the pain no matter what and as he clenched his jaw he felt a few teeth cracking under the pressure. The pain seemed endless and once again, the sharp disgusting laughter of Voldemort made Harry concentrate his will to a blank point in his mind, the point of sanity. Minutes after minutes Voldemort cursed the boy with the same "_Crucio"_ while chatting with his servants.

Watching the boy enduring the pain made the Dark Lord even more frustrated. _The Cruciatus Curse_ was unbearable, anyone who felt it would scream for mercy almost instantly but this boy stood there and clenched his mouth shut thrashing on the ground and digging dirt with his hands.

As he threw the curse for the final time he expected the boy to be more dead than alive, the trick of this curse was to scream. Trying to endure made it even worse and Voldemort hopped for the love of his twisted show that the boy will stay there.

For a few moments it seemed he was defeated, but Harry Potter gave a loud moan and raised on his feet once again…

To be onest, Harry had no idea how he succeded not to go insane. He felt his eyes go in his head a few times but his mind was alert and felt unbreakble...he was not going to be defeated by pain.

With blood spurting from his mouth, Harry watched Voldemort's face contort in rage and the boy begun to laugh...to laugh so hard it hurt his ribs but he kept laughing. Harry Potter didn't thought for a second he was going to live this time, but that made possible to enjoy every thwarted attempt of his torturer to break him.

''See! I turned Harry Potter into a vegetable...The Longbotoms are sane compared to this!'' the Dark Lord bragged encouraging his servants to laugh.

''You are pitiful Voldemort!'' as Harry spoke he suddenly became serious and focused. All his laughing gave him a chance to spot the portkey cup right next to Cedric.

Voldemort turned once again just to see the boy up and breathing.

''I sad you're pitiful! Didn't you hear me? ''

Standing in front of Voldemort, Harry realized he was probably the person who fought him the most times and survived...and that he had nothing to lose.

His life was made of 10 years of family abuse and another 4 of bitter sweet adventures in mortal peril. This time he was going to fight and not care...at least Sirus, Ron or Mia weren't there.

''You can't beat me Tom Riddle. Not in the way you want.'' The Dark Lord's eyes grew bigger and his face became gray with rage.

''You took care of everything I had... I don't love my life like you do...''

* * *

><p>The crowd was in disarray , both Diggory and Potter disappeared when they touched the cup. As Dumbledore tried to calm them he saw the window of his office shatter and Fawkes darting with The Hat in his claws. Circling the pitch were the third task took place, the bird cried a sad song and Apparated in a flash of hot flames.<p>

* * *

><p>Raising his wand and pointing it towards Harry's chest, Voldemort felt delirious being seconds away from his victory.<p>

''Die child of the prophecy!'' in a monstrous sneer the Dark Lord hoped to end the boy's life,

_''Avada-Kedavra!''_

As the green jet left the wand, between Harry and Voldemort a huge flame burst dissolving the curse.

Never believing his eyes, Voldemort watched a phoenix appear in middle air and swallow his curse.

Harry was surprised by this turn of events also, as he stood with arms away from his body ready to meet his parents.

Fawkes Apparated, stopped the killing curse and threw Harry a hat. The same hat he once used into the Chamber of Secrets.

Buurrying his hand up to his elbow into the hat, he felt the hilt of a sword under his fingers. Like a magnet the sword stuck to his palm and Harry Potter wilded a sword for the second time in his life. Gripping it tight in his hand, Harry felt the metal warm and that heat transferred to his body like electricity. Powerfull Griffindor boldness filled The Boy Who Lived and thrust in his victory.

Searching with his eyes for Cedric and the cup, he spoted his dead friend and the trophy just behind the dark lord.

Voldemort watched the bird disappear and prepared to end his show. He wanted to make the whole scene a drama play but somewhere in the process things started to go wrong.

Pointing his wand for another curse, as the smoke cleared he saw the image of a punisher . With the sword in his hand, Harry Potter crouched and shouting like a rohirrin in the battle on the Plains of Pelenor he jumped forward running towards Voldemort.

_Now or never Harry!_

_''DEAAATH!''_ the sword was red hot and Harry's eyes were two jade flames...

Seeing Harry with sword ready to stab him like an animal, Voldemort's curse stopped on his lips and he jumped to his left just in time to escape the sharp blade, but the boy didn't stopped, he broke the Death Eathers circle diving towards Cedric's body and the cup.

The last thing he heard was Voldemort's frustrated howl.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore stood with Legolas in his office talking for the fifth time about the events from the final task of the Triwizard Tournament.<p>

''The sword was red hot and his eyes were glowing behind his pupils. I don't know what happened there but I'm sure that Fawkes actions saved Harry's life.''

The elf listened watching the phoenix on his perch who seemed to be oblivious to the whole world.

''I saw the boy in the infirmary and he looked bad. Death doesn't linger over him anymore, but he was closer than ever'' Legolas watched the wizard with his piercing blue eyes.

Dumbledore sighed,

''From what Poppy told me, Harry should not have been alive. The amount of _Cruciatus Curse_ residues found in his body was almost twice the amount found in one of my former order members..The Longbottoms... and they are hospitalized in Saint Mungo for life...'' the olds wizard voice trembled...

Legolas rose from his seat and turned towards the freshly repaired window,

''The boy has elvish blood in his veins Albus. I saw his eyes... These are signs and soon he will be ready to become the champion but until then he must not know the prophecy. He may have one body but he is not alone…on his soul is attached an evil that only he can defeat. Harry Potter must fight his demons first, only then he will be able to respond to our call.''

Turning towards Dumbledore...

''I can sense the evil presence of Voldemort in the boy from here headmaster. The boy's scar is not an ordinary one. That scar is a link to Voldemort and if the boy doesn't know that he will find out soon. Don't let him hear anything that he should not...Voldemort is there...in him.

''Headmaster, the nurse is coming!'' the picture of Armando Dippet announced.

Dumbledore turned towards the former headmaster's picture to thank him,

''I guess we should call this...'' the elf was not there anymore, the slightly misplaced vase near his window gave Dumbledore a clue about the way of escape used by Legolas.

Hearing a knock at the door he turned his attention towards some papers on his desk,

''Come in Poppy!''

An unusual happy Madam Pomfrey entered and Dumbledore rose from his seat,

''Tell me is Harry, Poppy...tell me he is ok!''

''Yes headmaster, he is awake and sane. You can see him right away.''

Dumbledore and the school's nurse made their way to the infirmary and as they approached the doors they heard voices and laughter.

''Those must be Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger...I told them not to enter!'' As Madam Pomfrey strode towards the door , Dumbledore caught her by the arm.

''No Poppy, let them stay. Harry needs them...''

The infirmary was almost empty except a bed were three teenagers were laughing and talking happy.

''Hello Harry, it's nice to see you well.''

On his bed, Harry Potter stood tired and weak. His eyes still retained a glimpse of the glowing they had at first and his frame was even thinner than usual.

As Harry saw the headmaster his happy face disappeared in something cautious and stern.

''It's nice to see you too , sir!''

Dumbledore watched intensely Harry's eyes and he almost taught he saw a furious flicker in them. The boy was changed...both in a good and a bad way.

Sensing the tension, Hermione stood from her friend's bed and let go his hand she unknowingly held between hers.

''We'll talk later Harry. Come Ron, we need to pack our trunks!''

Harry watched his two friends leave and then turned towards Dumbledore,

''You wanted to talk to me sir?''

''Yes Harry,'' the headmaster sighed and tried to keep a calm face ''I wanted to know what happened…when you came, Cedric's dead body was next to you and the only thing you told me was that…

''Voldemort's back, yes...'' Harry spoke before his headmaster.

The way Harry stood still and watched him in the eyes, made Dumbledore nervous. He had the same feeling he experimented when Legolas or Elrond looked at him.

''Sir, do you have any idea why Voldemort need's me dead so bad ?''

The ease in the boy's tone told the headmaster that something was out of place. Harry never seemed to panic but he never seemed that calm either...it was like he could walk in front of a speeding truck without even blinking.

Sudden changes in his tone and eyes pupils made Dumbledore think in Harry's mind two personalities were fighting for control...and only one was his...

Avoiding his eyes Dumbledore spoke softly,

''No Harry, I don't know more than I have already told you.''

Disappointed...this was the best way to describe the boy's face as he watched the headmaster trying to catch his eyes.

''Harry, I need you to tell me everything you remember. What really happened?'' Dumbledore tried to change the subject,

Without flinching, Harry took a chocolate frog and opened it bussying himself with the wraping.

''I don't remember, sir... besides the blood ritual I only remember Voldemort calling you an old trickster...".


	4. Chapter IV

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-A****riddle-**

"Harry! Harry! It's ok baby, wake up! It's just nightmare…" a soft voice was calling him and it was so familiar.

"Wake up Harry! "

With great effort, the raven haired boy opened his eyes…it was all a blur but someone put a pair of glasses in his hand and he was now able to see clearly.

"Harry?"

The boy shook his head and noticed he was laid in a bed covered with velvet sheets. It was a small room with a desk under the window and quidditch posters all over the walls. Near his bed on a nightstand stood a few pictures with him and his parents. If he didn't knew better he thought someone did some cleaning to his bedroom from Surrey…

Turning towards the voice Harry thought he was going to pass out. On the edge of his bed stood a beautiful lady with the greenest eyes he ever saw and red hair falling in waves on her shoulders. It could not be… Or could it?

A burning sensation in his chest remembered Harry to breathe again… his eyes stopped on every feature of her face, the answer was there but he couldn't believe this… God never made wonders for him….

Harry swallowed a few times unsure whether it was just a sweet dream or pure reality…

''M…Mum?"

The lady threw herself towards the half sited boy and enveloped him in a warm hug. Every bit of love in the world was placed in that hug, so… motherly…

Harry felt his head spinning … his parents were dead… Voldemort? Hogwarts? No… this was a lie… he backed off pushing roughly the woman away, searching for his wand…

"Who are you? Where am I?" his voice was hoarse and even though he didn't believed what was happening, he hopped it was true. The hug was still fresh on him and while the warmth was fading, he felt he would die without another one.

The woman retreated for a moment with hurt eyes but then extended a hand, caressing his cheek… her eyes were so hypnotizing Harry thought he could stay like this forever. The hand was softer than silk and for the first time Harry didn't flinched to such a loving gesture.

"Harry. It's ok… you had a bad dream… I'm here Harry !"

With so few words the boy's eyes grew bigger, his lips parted but no sound was produced… His mother was there, he had his mother… his face lighten up and the boy jumped to hug Lily Potter. His mother was laughing happy and Harry squeezed her tighter and then tears came. He cried and cried clinging on his mother's chest letting her kiss his forehead.

"Mum… I thought I was going to die… he tried to kill me, you weren't there…I…I…"

The boy wanted to lock the door and stay there for eternity… so many times he wanted to have them close… so many times he hopped to die just to be reunited with them…

"Shh, that's alright Harry, don't worry, everything was just a bad dream. Just a nightmare baby!"

They sat on his bed and Harry sobbed for a few minutes raising his head from time to time just to assure himself his mother was still there…

Lily kept her son at her chest rocking him slowly. The boy was exhausted with so much crying and powerful emotions but he still hugged his mother like his life depended on it.

"Harry, it's the first day of your summer holiday. Let's get down for breakfast. Your dad is making pancakes."

Lily's voice felt so familiar and the boy seemed to draw power from her every word. Harry rose on his feet and once again seemed to react like hit by lightning.

"Dad? Is he here?"

Lily watched her boy with an amused smile.

"Well of course he is you silly, where did you think he would be? Go! I'll be right behind you."

The boy darted towards his mother kissing her cheek,

"Mum? I… love you! I love you so much!" It was the first time Harry ever felt or said that. It was like the weight of the world was taken from his shoulders and now he felt ready to live…

Harry descended the stairs, following the smell of pancakes and scrambled eggs. Into the hallway he stopped… this was a house he knew, the Privet Drive… strange… probably Godric's Hollow was a lie also…

Into the kitchen a tall man, lanky but strong with a mane of wild black hair stood turned towards the oven making pancakes while singing a happy tune.

It was surreal to be able to stand so close of his father…he thought he was alone, that his parents were dead but it was just…a bad dream…

James Potter turned towards the table with a plate full of pancakes. Seeing his son, James lips turned into a warm smile. He placed the plate on the counter and leaned towards Harry.

The boy didn't waited a second longer and hugged his father, once again feeling happier than he ever thought he could be. After a whole life of self defense Harry Potter had now a father, someone to guide him, to protect him….

"Good morning son! I heard you had a bit of a nasty nightmare. Are you hungry?"

The calm tone of his father's voice made Harry chuckle in delight. He would have never thought that one morning he would wake up and find out all was a dream. He didn't care if Voldemort existed or it was just a product of his imagination. He was there with his parents and they loved him… it was everything he ever wished for.

A few moments later, Harry heard his mother descend the stairs and then he could say the picture was complete. The only time Harry saw his parents in full scale was in first year when he found The Mirror of Erised. His parents were two halves of the same whole and Harry felt strange to watch them together after so many years, it was a strange feeling, like he didn't belong there, but he wasn't going to spoil this.

Every simple thing Harry got to do was just another moment of blissful happiness for him. Setting the table with his mother or helping his father get the food were things he thought he would never get to do.

Seating at the table James started talking about work, Harry never knew his father was an auror or that his mother was a Potions teacher.

"Harry, could you pass me the salt please?" the boy took great delight in being asked to do such a common thing. As he reached to give the salt to his father, he overturned a goblet of pumpkin juice spilling the content all over the table. For a moment his vision turned black and then he sensed him.

* * *

><p>In the infirmary Ron and Hermione stood next to Harry as they did for the last few days. It was more than 48 eight hours since Harry awoke and talk to them. Since then he just slept mumbling in his sleep.<p>

The nurse informed them that the blow to his head and _The Cruciatus Curse_ have pushed the boy to such limits it was normal for a while to need so much sleep.

It was the third week since the year was out and the castle was almost empty. Even though Molly Weasley and Hermione's familly went berserk when they refused to come to a safe house and leave Harry alone, Ron and Hermione stood with their friend.

Dumbledore came every day to check on Harry and seemed very concerned. He often engaged in long conversations with Ron and Hermione. Having 'Harry Potter' as a main subject helped a lot in softening the relation between the two friends and Dumbledore. Soon Mr Weasley became Ron and Ms Granger became Hermione. He was intrigued by the close ties that kept Ron and Hermione united. It was obvious that Harry represented the key… without him, the chances for Hermione to befriend Ron and vice versa would have been nule.

Even though they never talked about the harsh life Harry obviously had in Surrey, Dumbledore gave the two friends many insights over Harry's adventures. Seeing his pupil almost dead made Dumbledore see the inevitable… he was hiding things from him, just as Elrond hid things from him years ago, but… there was no other way, the harm was done and the boy had to be protected…from himself if needed.

The headmaster's job was to protect his students and he had to admit that Harry could easily become a threat to others… this is what he tried to prevent…

"Harry is in grave danger…" his voice was tired,

Hermione was reading a book with her hand over Harry's. She seemed to do that a lot since her friend came more dead than alive from the third task. The headmaster's tone though, made the girl pay attention.

Ron poped a bean in his mouth spitting it in a paper napkin a second later. „Bleah, chicken brains".

Seeing Hermione's murderous look he nodded in agrement.

"We know that sir, we just never thought he will be so close to die… every year something happens to him, but this time things went a little too far…or… I don't know, Harry had a lot to fight with the basilisk or the dementors but never came back in such a bad shape… I don't know…

Since his fight with Harry, Ron became more intuitive and tried to pay more attention to what he was saying, Hermione didn't know what was said between the two friends, but it was clearly good for Ron though his manners were the same.

"I agree with you Ron, I'm afraid this time Harry came closer to death than we expected. It is a shame that I couldn't discover Barty Crouch Jr. in time, that proves even old wizards can sometimes be fooled."

Hermione, who had forgotten about her book, was now rubbing Harry's backhand with her thumb oblivious to the others amused glances. This year she got to be very close to Harry… even though they knew each other from their first year, Harry always had a much closer relation with Ron. Being boys and sleeping in the same dormitory gave them time to talk more about their life or their fears.

At the end of their third year she got the first glimpse in Harry's heart. Seeing for the first time that twinkle of hope in his eyes when he thought he will get to stay with Sirius, made the girl feel privileged. It was a special moment only she got to see. Since then, things started to be more about Harry and Hermione and less about Harry and Ron…

While Harry was still not talking with Ron, Hermione stepped in to help him pass through the challenges of The Triwizard Tournament. Long hours spent in the library made Hermione find a lot more about Harry's life. She noticed him flinching when she made fast movements around him and she noticed how little did he ate or how he could forget about eating at all. Harry didn't talked a lot about his life at home in Surrey, but Hermione guessed things weren't bright at all.

When Ron told her about the twins rescue mission of Harry in the second year she thought the boy was exaggerating. Bars and starvation, a dingy little room where the boy lived as prisoner… it was obvious Ron knew more about that but she was decided to hear things from Harry.

Around her, Harry Potter was just another boy and she knew he loved to spend time with her for that reason. What she still didn't figured out was if the boy had other reasons to like being around her.

"Sir, what do you reckon it happened to Harry?" She was concerned and even though she didn't asked Harry when he awoke, Hermione wanted badly to know what got killed Cedric and put Harry in that state.

Dumbledore had a small frown and seemed to contemplate at something happening towards the Forbidden Forrest before his attention returned towards her.

"I believe Harry had to watch Voldemort rise from the dead." His voice was categorical and the headmaster was pleased to see Hermione didn't flinch at hearing the name.

"By a most grotesque ritual, Voldemort was revived with Harry's blood. Cedric was killed by Peter Pettigrew and Harry…" Dumbledore paused seeing Ron and Hermione looking towards him frightened, "I believe Harry fought with Voldemort… fought and escaped, yes…"

Ron and Hermione were bewildered…

"I knew Harry was powerful, but that powerful?" Ron was now gaping in shock… Even though they weren't as close as they used to be, Ron was still Harry best male friend, he knew what Harry could do in crisis moments but to fight Voldemort seemed surreal.

"Indeed, Harry is powerful enough to fight Voldemort, but…" he stopped to gather his thoughts, making a decision, "but Harry is still vulnerable; Voldemort can reach him from distance…"

"How? He can't get to Hogwarts."Ron seemed amused, "He should get past you sir to…"

"The scar…" Hermione watched Harry's face brushing the hair on his forehead.

Dumbledore turned towards Hermione and a smile of pride grew on his face. The witch had a talent at solving riddles. She was a living example of beauty and wits.

„Please go on Hermione..."

"Harry's scar is a dark scar… there are many stories about powerful wizards who created a deep connection with their victims through a scar of this kind, using it to either terorize or even control them. Only Harry can tell us if we are right…"

Ron seemed to be in thought and Dumbledore was still smiling content and decided to let the girl's opinion stand. The conversation died when Harry's trashing aggravated. Soon he was shaking and kicking and his face was a mass of emotions.

"No… don't… "

The boy was pleading and tears flow from his closed eyes.

Dumbledore watched the boy intensely for a moment and then his wand slide from his sleeve.

Hermione squeezed Harry's hand harder and tears formed in her eyes watching him suffer in his sleep. Ron came near Hermione and put a hand on her shoulders trying to comfort her.

"Sir, do something!" Hermione's voice broke in a sharp cry.

* * *

><p>As soon as the goblet splashed all over the floor Harry felt the world turn upside down. The front door disokved and Voldemort entered wearing the same smirk he had when Harry stood wandless against him in the Graveyard.<p>

"Good evening Harry!"

Before Harry could make a move, Voldemort's wand flicked and the boy was tied to his chair. James turned the table over and shoot a blue spell towards him. Voldemort deflected the blow and sent a green bolt of energy which hit James square in the chest.

A scream stopped in Harry's throat watching his father die a second time. Lily took his father's lifeless body in her arms crying and asking for mercy. Harry felt his heart ripped from his chest, the chair vibrated and the boy howled in agony,

"Don't touch her you criminal. I'll kill you! I'll kill youuuuuuu!"

Voldemort pointed his wand towards Lily but Harry's vision was blurred by a powerful light. His mother and father, the house disappeared and Harry found himself in a white chamber with only Voldemort.

The dark lord turned for a second to watch something from behind. A surprised look crossed his face,

"Don't worry little Harry, we will meet again…" with the same mocking voice of a grandfather Voldemort's body started to fade and only then Harry noticed he wasn't tied anymore.

A rush of demonic anger burst in Harry's head, the white chamber begun to crack. All of this was a twisted vision sent by Voldemort just to mock his parents death… and the boy rushed towards the still visible silhouette of Voldemort.

With no wand in his hands Harry pointed his right fist forward shouting as hard and hateful he could:

"_Avada-Kedavra!"_

Harry Potter felt the same jolt of pleasure he experienced when he tried to choke Wormtail. A green bolt rushed from his extended hand…

The spell didn't reach its target, passing through his enemy's fading form but Harry could have sworn he saw Voldemort laugh. Then he felt pulled to surface.

"No! I'll kill you monster!"

* * *

><p>"Harry! Harry! Wake up!" <em>"another wake up call?"<em>

Harry felt someone calling him and once again opened his eyes but this time there was no dormitory or his mother.

With a frightened look on her face stood Hermione on his well too familiar infirmary bed. Her hand was squeezed tight in his and the tears in her eyes made the boy react instantly.

"Harry…" Hermione was interrupted by Harry's fierce embrace. Even though a tired Dumbledore was now resting in a nearby chair and Ron was right next to them Harry just enveloped Hermione tight in his arms running his trembling fingers through her soft hair. Hermione started crying and the boy felt his anger rise again. He was frightening the most precious thing he had… his friends.

In a whispered voice reserved only for her Harry apologized kissing her forehead.

"Forgive me Mia, please forgive me… shhhhhh, calm down, I'm ok… it was just a stupid dream."

Harry wasn't sure when did he started to call his friend Mia, probably before the first task when they spent every bit of free time into library searching for charms and hexes to use against a dragon.

"_Thanks Mia, you're a life saver! A pretty and witty life saver" Harry told her when he finally got the Accio Charm right._

_Hermione blushed and then rose on her tip toes to kiss his cheek._

"_Thank you Harry, you're not bad yourself."_

_As Harry was still mesmerized by the kiss he got, Hermione strode out of the library but stopped in front of the door._

"_Oh, by the way Harry… I like the short name… "Harry was now sporting a bright shade of red "but keep it secret… it's even nicer that way."_

Hermione was still cradled to his chest, but raised her head to watch Harry in the eyes. Seeing those big brown eyes tainted with tears was painful and Harry used his thumb to dry her cheeks.

"Harry… are you ok? You scarred me…"

"I'm sorry… it was just a nightmare… Voldemort wanted to have a bit of fun on my expenses."

The casual tone used by the boy surprised Hermione for a moment, Harry was never a frightened little boy, he never cried and almost never talked about what he feared, but she didn't remembered him so… resigned. His eyes, as green as ever held red flakes of blood on the edges and his arms were still trembling a little.

They almost lost track of time, talking in whisper. Harry tried his best to cheer up his Mia. He was shaken to the core but he couldn't bear to see this particular girl sad.

"By the way, what did happen with Krum?" Harry watched her fingers making Hermione to giggle.

"I see no ring…yet...''

Hermione laughed hearty but her eyes were still locked with Harry's.

"There is no ring Harry… I'm don't plan to marry soon."

Their conversation went on until someone politely cleared his throat. Hermione was still leaning on Harry's chest when they noticed a very amused Dumbledore and an equally confused Ron standing a few beds away.

"Oi! So you finally noticed the world?" Ron tried to look mad but failed miserable.

Dumbledore chuckled at Ron's antics.

"Hello Harry, I'm glad to see your ok."

In spite of Dumbledore's kind tone, Harry felt once again a deep misstrust. He could see the true concern on his headmaster's face, but something from within him made him very suspicious.

"Hello sir. I'm ok… had a nasty nightmare, sorry if I made a racket."

"I'm sure you did Harry, please tell me if you have nightmares like those again…"

Harry was amazed Madam Pomfrey wasn't there to shove some foul smelling potions down his throat and get his friends out. He was surprised also that Dumbledore didn't seemed curious about his nightmare, but decided to enjoy the privacy.

"Where's Madam Pomfrey?" His voice was still sore and he felt a little dizzy, but the fact Hermione didn't backed away from him even when Dumbledore spoke made him feel better. It was nice to have someone hugging you, especially after a Voldemort encounter.

Dumbledore smiled broadly,

"You're lucky Harry, Madam Pomfrey decided you're tired but ok and need only a few potions per day. She left a few days ago for a well deserved holiday away from infirmary."

Harry was relieved to easily escape the infirmary a few hours later and went with his friends and Dumbledore to the Great Hall.

"I believe it's time for some lunch and also a meeting with some other concerned friends." Dumbledore sported a wicked twinkle this time and for a moment the image of two very happy with themselves twins appeared in his head.

As they walked Harry and Hermione remained a bit behind,

"Thank you Mia… I…really appreciate your support…"

Hermione seemed concerned by something but her frown quickly became a warm smile,

"I will always support you Harry. We tend to do that for each other…"

They kept the small talk until they reached the doors. Harry was surprised to see the Great Hall had only one table where a dozen of people seemed to have an animate discussion. He was still wobbly and not sure what to do…

Dumbledore strode towards the group and Ron and Hermione left to the empty end of the table.

"Harry!"

The group parted to let a worried Molly Weasley run and envelope him in a bear hug,

"Oh you poor baby, I was so worried?

Are you ok?"

Harry was not very eager to be treated like a little baby but he knew Misses Weasley's intentions were for the best.

"I'm fine, a bit tired though…"Harry tried to look as neutral as possible…

"Oh Harry, you're too young for all of this…"

Then came Remus and other people he didn't knew and everything started to pass around him in a blur.

Harry was just thinking his ribs couldn't take much more abuse when he heard the voice of his saviour and number one suporter…

" Are you trying to kill my godson?"

Harry escaped from someone's embrace and turned to be greeted by Sirius Black, godfather, ex Marauder, serial killer (according to the Ministry of Magic) and the only paternal figure Harry had…

Sirius Black was in a much better shape the he was when Harry helped him escape the Dementors kiss. A tall strong built man with piercing black eyes and a mane of dark brown hair was now the better figure of Sirius. In spite of being thrown into Azkaban without a trial for more than a decade, Sirius was still a handsome man, a fierce duelist and most of all the heart and soul of The Marauders.

"Sirius!"

Harry walked towards his godfather who stood with his arms open. His eyes were twinkling with pride for what a wizard his godson was turning into.

"How are you cup? Any dark lord ass whooping lately…?"

Anyone except Hermione probably would have got quite a mouthful from Harry, but the way Sirius joked, just for him, to make him comfortable made Harry burst into laughter.

Sirius and his godson shared quite a few minutes of good laughter until they noticed everyone was just watching them perplexed.

Almost in the same time they both asked "What?"

"Well excuse us if we don't make jokes about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…" Molly Weasley seemed upset and Harry noticed that most of the people invited were looking offended.

Sirius still smirking looked full of pried towards Harry,

"I guess only James's son could share my humor…" Then he took Harry towards the group.

Harry only had time to see Ron and Hermione protesting vehemently while escorted by Prof. McGonogall outside before Molly Weasley blocked their way.

"Sirius, what do you think you're doing?" her voice poured with disapproval.

Black took a dignified stance,

"I'm trying to get my godson meet the other members…"

Molly was alarmed and Harry was sure this was an old fight.

"You can't do that! Stop! You don't have the right to tell him this things, he is too young…"

Sirius's temper seemed to flare,

"I believe I told you the last time that I don't care what you have to say…" There was a lot of anger in his tone.

"You… and others," Sirius looked towards Arthur Weasley and Remus "let me rot into Azkaban and none of you did anything, at least to get me a trial. That was all needed but you were happy to find someone responsible for the death of the people I loved the most…"

Sirius was now inches away from Molly. Harry noticed a few of the wizards gathered around the table were looking away ashamed, but some were keeping their wands near.

"I had to wait for my godson to grow a better wizard than most to help me escape … I am his guardian and I don't give a damn about Ministry of Magic, you or whoever thinks he has rights over Harry! " This time Molly seemed ready to retort but Arthur placed a firm and on her shoulder.

Glad to see everyone was silent, Sirius turned towards Harry with a huge victory grin,

"Well Harry, welcome to The Order of The Phoenix!"

Everyone went silent, still Sirius ignored the obvious venomous glances,

"Harry, The Order of The Phoenix was founded by Dumbledore when Voldemort revealed himself fot the first time. This Order protects the wizarding world and sometime the muggles from the dark wizards. Let me present you some of them."

Dumbledore stood aside with a very amused expression, it seemed he tried to avoid Molly's glances who was still mad at him for not intervening in her fight with Sirius.

"This is Kingsley Shacklebot!" Sirius pointed towards a black man. He was tall and strong and unlike other wizards he was dressed in proper muggle clothes. The auror had a very official stance,

"Hello Harry." Harry didn't know if the man was glad to meet him or displeased but he decided to be polite.

"Hello Sir, nice to meet you! "

Before he could say something else, a familiar clap of a wooden leg approached and Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody came sporting his everlasting grimace,

"Potter."

The ex auror extended a scared hand which Harry shook firmly.

"Hello Professor… I… mean Sir…"

Moody's artificial eye seemed locked on Harry's face, but the boy wasn't bothered, after all he had a full year to get used to.

Sirius insisted to get Harry to meet Elphias Dodge, Dedalus Diggle and a few other wizards. The young wizard was sure he saw Sirius wink to a blonde witch called Emmeline Vance.

Well, Harry… that's about everyone, I believe it's best to know who is on your side and…" Sirius was talking fast and seemed to avoid something until a powerful voice resembling a dozen of jingles covered the background noise.

"Who do you think you're hiding from me there cousin?"

Sirius's face fell and he sighed before turning towards an enthusiastic young women. She seemed to be no older than twenty and Harry liked her instantly.

"Wotcher! I'm Tonks, Sirius's favorite cousin." She sported a very Sirius grin and her nonconformist way made Harry feel very at ease around her.

Harry could have sworn he heard Sirius muttering "the only"…

"A…Hello, I'm Harry, Harry Potter…" As usual, Harry was quite embarrassed to say his name as that always provoked a powerful reaction from everyone. He watched the girl intently to see if she will look as everybody else towards his scar but Tonks seemed oblivious to that."

Tonks was about his height. She was very attractive with just the right curves. Harry felt his face redden when she leaned to kiss him on both his cheeks. Her black twinkling eyes and her short pink spiky hair were in perfect combination with her outrageous clothes- black boots, black (way too) short skirt and green top. This girl was a punk queen and Harry could bet the whole effect was just the one intended.

"Cool, you're just how I thought. So, meet any Dark Lords lately? "Once again the members of the Order fell silent and Sirius chuckled,

"Oh, I forgot about her… it seems only James's son and my sister's daughter share my humor."

Sirius took a big gulp of air and sporting a very official grin he declared:

"So… Harry, do you want to be a part of The Order?"

The boy's answer fell like the thunder after a lighting,

"Yes, I want to fight. What can I do?"

This question created imediately an uproar of protests with Molly as a leader. Dumbledore retreated fast towards a window with his eyes twinkling more than ever. Harry was surprised to see his headmaster so quiet with a hint of satisfaction playing on the corners of his mouth, he expected him to be even more categorical than Mrs. Weasley.

The members of The Order were protesting vehemently and Snape looked very pleased, but for entirely other resons. The raven haired boy felt his anger rise.

"He's just a child!"

"He knows nothing about dark wizards!"

"A child in The Order...what a bad joke!"

Images from Privet Drive, years of insults and the same underestimation he was treated with for ten years seemed to have followed him at Hogwarts. This was just about enough.

Harry watched Sirius's face turn into a scowl. He was sure his godfather didn't expect this kind of response. Tonks stood near Harry to show her support, but everybody else was utterly against it.

Harry was pulled from his train of thoughts right when Sirius turned ballistic. Snape didn't hold his opinions about the Potters and that got him a nice punch in the face from James's Potter best friend.

"You low life scum! James was right to kick your ass every time he could. I know how you treated Harry but let me tell you this, ONE MORE INSULT and that punch will be just the main course!"

Snape was still down but that didn't stop him make foul remarks,

"Are you sure you're innocent Black? I never saw Wormtail… I surely don't trust a werewolf and a pampered, attention seeking brat!"

This time, Sirius was held by Remus how was in turn held by Kingsley. Snape understood the danger and recovered fast enough to strode safely towards the door.

Harry watched every wizard in turn. They were all seeing him as an attention seeking child who would put anyone and anything in danger to have his share of fame. Of course it was hard to admit a fourteen year old had more experience with dark wizards than a dozen ex aurors, grown up wizards or teachers… But then, another frightening thought burst through the storm of his mind, maybe... maybe they were thinking he killed Cedric...

The rebellion became fast anger and Harry was once again on the breach of exploding. Since the battle in the Graveyard, his patience was thinner than ice. The moment he saw Wormtail kill Cedric was like his anger management was switched off.

"Fine! Fine!" His voice boomed and the uproar dimmed while everyone seemed to remember that he was there. That made things even more annoying.

"I don't need an Order… you can take your Order and…" Harry would have probably said something of which only Sirius would have been proud if Tonks didn't covered his mouth. Harry fought to escape and he had to bite her hand to let him go.

"Every year I find new things everyone knows about me or my parents but I'm not allowed to know. I fought a basilisk, dementors, acromantulas and by the way I meet Voldemort a few times... "A few wizards flinched at the name and it made Harry angrier,

"Voldemort! Voldemort! Voldemort! At least I'm not afraid to say his name!"

Prof. McGonogal was just entering with a very smug Hermione who seemed to have won the fight when she saw Harry Potter making a row. She stood surprised and was about to get him out of the Hall by his ears when a subtle gesture from Dumbledore stopped her.

Hermione was watching her friend amazed by his courage. Harry was just shouting a very muggle ish swear towards a short wizard who scolded him for using Voldemort's name. It was obvious Dumbledore was happy with Harry's racket…he was watching his pupil with a blank face but his eyes were something else.

Away from Tonks's hands, Harry's language took a bad turn and Hermione could have sworn his temper was fuelled by something beyond the wizards' disapproval.

Before he could say things he would regret latter Hermione strode forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. Harry turned angry with his eyes a mixture of green and faint red marks. As soon as his eyes locked with hers, he felt like a bucket of ice was poured on his back. Instant calming effect.

"Harry, you've made your point. Come… there is nothing to do here."

The young wizard stood still for a few minutes as in contemplating if he should listen to her or not before giving a short nod,

"A…yeah, I guess you're right..."

He turned towards Sirius and Tonks who were having a hushed conversation with Dumbledore. The headmaster looked at Harry and gave a small wink before walking away.

Sirius came along a few seconds later and as soon as he turned his back to the other wizards, his face broke into a smile,

"Harry, come to the headmaster's office tonight. Until then… " Sirius gave Hermione a strange look " The school is all yours!"

The giant doors of the Great Hall closed with a loud bang and Harry and Hermione found themselves alone. With the launch long forgotten, they went outside and started a slow walk towards the lake.

"What happened with Ron? And by the way, how did you managed to convince McGonogall to let you come back?"

"Well…" Hermione pulled a strand of her hair behind her year. "McGonogall told us we are underage and have no right to stay at an Order meeting. When she told Ron that his parents didn't allow him in, I just told her I'll deal with my parents later…"

Harry listened amazed,

"… Mia, are you sure I'm a good influence to you?" Harry was very serious.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, sorry to break this to you, but I believe you have just disobeyed a professor… that's like murder to you."

Hermione chuckled and playfully punched him in the arm.

"It was worth it… and sorry to break this to you, but I believe you cursed and shouted at a dozen of the best wizards in the country, and… I don't want to think what would you have said if it wasn't for Tonks and miself to get you out of there…"

Harry smiled but surprisingly he didn't felt bad. He always knew that someday all of the bad treatment from the hypocrite wizarding world will backfire… Also the fact that Dumbledore and Sirius didn't seemed upset at all helped his consciousness a lot.

"I had quite a dirty mouth didn't I? Sorry Mia, but I was going to blow up at some point, at least this way I had my point and everyone listened."

They reached the lakeside and walked on the narrow pontoon to the edge. They sat, their feet in the ever cold water watching lazy air bubbles rise to the surface.

"Mia, do you think Ron is upset? ...he didn't come back..."

"Maybe… anyway I believe McGonogall sent him to wait in her office for his parents. After the whole show I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't let him come to say goodbye."

As much as he loved to cool his feet right next to Hermione, Harry knew the summer was just begging and unlike him, Hermione had loving parents that wanted to see her and go on holiday.

The brown haired girl watched him splash water and frown. Harry's life wasn't easy with him and you could see that. His hands didn't have the smooth skin of a boy of his age, he was lanky but his whole stature suggested enough physical power to work full days with no rest. His hair was past his ears and it seemed to be just a little bit more tamed and overall he looked like a tired man.

She was staring at him trying to figure what felt so different about him since he awoke. He was protective…very, but his temper was almost frightening like a gray cloak on his shoulders was making Harry Potter… dangerous to his enemies.

Harry felt her eyes on him but decided to wait a little more. Being so close of Mia he couldn't understand what went through his mind when he was having a crush on Cho. Every time he thought about the asian beauty he remembered the lifeless eyes of Cedric. He felt awkward when he saw Cedric with Cho, but now he didn't knew if he would ever be able to watch the girl in the eyes.

What confused Harry the most was the way Hermione made him act. Around his Mia he wasn't shy, he didn't even blush too hard anymore and every time he saw her face become sad or worried he felt a rush to do whatever reckless thing needed, just to make her smile again.

The Mia he knew now was a long way from the bossy, bookworm he had to save from a troll four years ago. The girl became a woman and her love for books saved him from many dangerous situation.

Turning his head he stopped hypnotized. A few inches away, Hermione was staring at him, her eyes were the exact color of chocolate and her full lips were slightly parted. Harry was faced with the most difficult decision he ever had to do… turn away or… kiss her…

Hermione's heart missed a few beats when Harry turned towards her. Any other boy would have made her blush deeply but with Harry things were always smooth. He liked her books, never made fun of her and this year he proved to be the best friend she had.

When he awoke from his nightmare and enveloped her in his arms, Hermione knew this boy felt something for her. His eyes were so loving and his lips were to inviting, the sun was ready to dawn and the faint light was shadowing half of his face in a mystery… this was the Harry she knew and was reserved only for her, a half mysterious boy always revealing something new about himself.

_I can't… she's too precious to me_… Harry was so close to her… he could feel Hermione's sweet breath full of peaches and cherry sherbet aromas ,

_She's with Krum, I'm just a scrawny idiot with a death stamp on my forehead. No!_

"I guess we should go back…"Harry stretched his back and avoided Hermione's face as much as possible.

"Yes, we have to go to Dumbledore." Hermione's voice was still a bit dreamy and her face was hidden behind her hair. She was sure Harry wanted to kiss her… but he stopped and the way it made her feel surprised her.

A riddle…

_NOTE: A few people disliked my story because Dumbledore is a much powerful wizard than Elrond. First off all, that happens only when the wizard has very powerful emotions. To me Dumbledore is more powerful than any wizard except Harry._

_Second, the elves are not a good wine, they don't get better in time they become weaker and the elvish kind in this story is almost extinct, they have a mentor role in this story so no fights between elves and death eathers. In this story, the elves are much weaker than the elves in Tolkien's story and that is because the nature isn't the same. They are just ghosts of the past, their force is fading with every day._

_Read and review._


	5. Chapter V

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Preparations-**

The way back into the castle was one of the quietest Harry ever remembered. It was the first time he ever felt uncomfortable near Hermione. In fact, Harry Potter was slightly angry, a few minutes ago refusing himself the pleasure of a good kiss for the sake of honesty seemed the fair thing but the lust was still with him. Reaching the castle, he walked in thought without noticing Hermione's concerned look. His doubt of his actions at the lake grew until he was almost decided to stop and just kiss her, but the stern look of Minerva McGonogall had the same effect of a cold shower to his hormones.

With a sever look, no doubt a consequence of Harry's doings at THE meeting, McGonogall stood beside the gargoyle which served as a guardian to Dumbledore's office. The old witch was dressed as usual in black robes with the Gryffindor crest sewn on the front. A pointy hat she usually wears at special occasion covered her grey hair.

_Probably the meetings are special occasions also…_Harry's thoughts were washed by the scowl he missed on his professor's face, due to the diffuse light.

"Good evening m'am!" The two friends greeted their teacher and Harry could have sworn he saw small lightnings leaving his teacher's eyes.

"I have never been more shocked with one of my students' behavior Potter." The Transfigurations teacher started at full speed and Harry locked his eyes on a cracked stone on the floor not really feeling sorry but from pure sense of preservation.

"You were allowed to acknowledge a very powerful and secret order only to act like an uneducated and very insolent child. Only because your godfather lets you act like that I will not permit you to use such a foul language towards very experienced and most distinguished wizards."

Harry's tolerance for any reproach was almost gone and McGonogall's rant didn't help. The anger started to build up since he left the lake and soon it was going to blow up again.

"You should be honored to meet such great wizards trying to do everything possible to protect you…

Harry's head raised and Minerva stopped at the sight of a very angry man with a rage-contorted face. Harry's features no more resembled with the ones of a teenager, his eyes were greener than ever and his facial muscles twitched from time to time under his skin.

"No one…no one did anything for me… "Minerva and Hermione noticed the hoarse tone of Harry's voice. It was like a second voice, much deeper spoke a fraction of a second faster than his.

"I am an uneducated child… I was raised that way…" Hermione wanted to place an arm on Harry's shoulder but this time his voice and stiff posture was too scary. In the Great Hall, Harry went ballistic, but Tonks calmed him enough for her to reach him, but here he was at loose. His arms were stretched along his body with clenched fists trembling from strain. He was trying to control himself...

"Or should I say BRED that way? I'm not honored to meet any wizard who can't say Voldemort"… half of them never even met him!" Harry's disgusted spat was accompanied with a defying look daring the teacher to contradict him.

Hermione couldn't help notice an almost Moody resemblance in the fearless tone Harry used now. It was a certain acceptance in his way of life that Hermione didn't liked, Harry fought with dark magic and it seemed he was going to do it again… voluntarily.

McGonogall stood shocked by her student's retort and then tried to stop him.

"Mr. Potter, I believe no one…" That just didn't work.

"No one what?... no one what?" Harry's voice was almost a growl.

"No one is responsible? There is no one's fault? No one knew? Blame it on fate? "

Harry's hand was sliding towards his wand, Hermione was prepared to intervene…

"NO! I blame it on you and everyone who knew were I was and didn't cared a bit. I worth nothing… I've learned that every time I had to sleep in a cupboard with either a broken arm or black eye, or both! Lucky me, Voldemort made me important... every night I go to sleep so happy knowing he loves me so much... "

Harry's aggressiveness turned to bitter words and the girl noticed a muffled tremble in the boy's voice. Hermione felt tears build in her eyes, unintentionally Harry gave her the first insight on his life in Surrey, he was treated like an animal and the way he turned up a caring and brave man was a miracle.

Panting hard Harry strode passed McGonogall in front of the gargoyle. .

"Move!" To everyone's surprise, the stone gargoyle didn't make a smart coment, but moved fast to allow access towards the stairs of Dumbledore's office.

"Are you coming?" Harry's voice was much warmer towards Hermione and the girl noticed that, but she stood with McGonogall looking very uncomfortable.

Regaining her wits McGonogall spoke but didn't faced Harry. Hermione could have bet even the teacher was still shocked at what she heard.

"Mrs. Granger has to leave tonight. Her parents are waiting for her at Hogsmead ready to live to Bulgaria for a trip…" By Hermione's red face and teary eyes, Harry guessed his teacher gave him much more information than Hermione would have wanted but that didn't make him feel better.

Harry felt betrayed. He knew Hermione was Victor Krum's girlfriend and he didn't really knew what he felt towards his friend but the way she acted the whole day got him confused. They didn't talked what will he do in the holidays because that was the rule…Harry's life at home was a taboo thing, but they didn't talk what she will do either… It was just confusing and annoying… the trip gave Hermione's with Krum relation a finality Harry dreaded…

"You knew?" The words came before he could stop them… They did so many things together, so many adventures, he hopped at least he would get a few days more with her before she would depart for her home… her boyfriend-less home…

Hermione was surprised by Harry's accusing tone, he almost sounded jealous.

„Of course you knew..."

"I'm…sorry Harry… I forgot to tell you, Victor wanted…" This time it was obvious Hermione told him more than she wanted.

Harry thought it would be pointless and stupid to say something that would most likely sound wrong so he adopted the most neutral face he could.

"It's ok… I hope you'll have a nice time with Victor and all…" with that, he started to climb the stairs as fast as he could.

"That was mature..." McGonogall's irony was met with a very cold stare from Hermione. She saw the hurt look in Harry's eyes. It was impossible to tell if that was because she didn't told him when she was leaving or because of her destination…

"Come Hermione, your parents are waiting for you. I'll take you to Hogsmead with a carriage." McGonogall looked nonplused by Harry's outburst, but her eyes were bit wetter than usual.

Hermione was shaken; this day was surely a rush: Harry's awakening, then the whole fiasco at the meeting, then the walk at the lake, there wasn't much to discern through all of this except the fact that Harry was allways the center of her concern or joy…

This last year they were so close she didn't notice the change in the way he acted towards her until he was almost gone. Of course, this was the year she met Victor, but sometimes, around Harry, it was almost difficult to remember when or why did she become the Bulgarian's girlfriend.

She liked Victor, he was older and he watched her when she studied, always listened to her but then again… Harry listened to her even better participating at the best of his abilities to everything she wanted to discuss, he wasn't older but to say he was puerile was like saying Ron is mature, actually she was mesmerized at Harry's reaction to small things like toys, ice cream or sharing sweets with others. Thinking back, she could now discern through his behavior what Harry never had and the biggest thing of all was Love. In spite of that, he was courageous and caring to a point where he forgot about his well-being for the well-being of others and that started to get dangerous in the last years.

Hermione couldn't remember a time when Harry acted selfish… he shared everything or better said he gave everything he had …except his muggle life, that was an enigma even for her, she knew he had a bad life but not to what extent, at least not until now. The fame… well, Victor embraced that; he acted like a famous person knowing when to use it to his favor, but Harry? No…he hated his fame with all his being, in part for its source and in part for the way, it made people act…

Harry was a part of her life, he was her first friend, her first savior and the last to ever leave her side… the question remained, _who was Victor?_

"Of course professor, let's get going!"

Harry slowed his pace as soon as he let the entry behind, Hermione was going to Bulgaria…with her parents… that was final…

_I guess she'll be back as Hermione Krum…_Harry chuckled gloomy, his right fist hiting the wall and a sharp pain in his knuckles brought The-Boy-Who-Lived back to reality. This was getting serious… too much anger clouded his mind.

A few more steps and he almost fell back when he crushed on Sirius.

"Ow! What the…" Harry almost fell backwards.

"Harry! Perfect timing cup!" As usual, Harry felt Sirius's grin was the most fatherly gesture he ever recived, but his godfather had the same uncomfortable look Hermione had a minute ago.

"Ok, spill it out… what have you forgot to tell me…" Harry placed huge apostrophes over "forgot" .

Sirius seemed almost surprised but then he gave a wicked grin,

"Busted. I told Dumbledore you won't be happy…" Sirius seemed pleased to have won a very profitable bet.

He put a hand over his godson's shoulders and both sat on the stone steps. Sirius took his wand from his sleeve and then made a circle muttering under his breath,

"_**Muffliato."**_ The stairs were filled with a low hum and Harry could only hear his and his godfather's voice.

"Nice spell ey? It's an old trick from my days of school, no one but who you want will hear you."

Sirius sighed and stretched his legs.

"Harry… I promised Dumbledore I won't tell you but I didn't listen to him when he was my headmaster and I don't feel like starting now… He didn't tell me where you'll be going, but I have a feeling you won't see Dursley's ugly face this summer…"

Harry almost jumped with joy, the day had a happy ending afterall.

"Cool that means I'll be staying with you or at least somewhere where I'll see you a lot, right?"

Harry sported a huge grin,

"Right?"

Sirius sighed, "Sorry Harry, I don't think I'll be seeing you to soon…"

Harry's joy transformed in his almost usual frown.

"Like I said, Dumbledore didn't want me to tell you, but I'll be going with Hermione and her parents…"

"Does everyone go to Bulgaria this summer? You have a relationship with Victor's mother or what?" Harry sounded angrier than he wanted and this time Sirius was really surprised before bursting in a wild laughter.

"Good one Harry, there was a bit of both James and Lily in that." He turned serious once again.

„Did Hermione tell you that? She threatened to hand me to the Ministry if I tell you… anyway, no Harry, I'm going as Padfoot, to protect them…" This time there was no hint of joke in his godfather's voice.

„I really care about this precious witch, the day she crashed that cell door to get me out will forever be in my mind."

Harry's dreamy look hearing his godfather talking about Hermione transformed again.

"OK… Hermione... her parents... now you, but still, why does she have to go now?... Hey, don't get me wrong, have fun, see the sights, I will just go wherever Dumbledore and the other order idiots decide…

Sirius's smile faded and this was one of the few moments when Harry got to see how many traces have left the years spent in Azkaban on his godfather's face.

"Harry, you know I would stay with you if I could… the world is less safer now with Voldemort back… there I can protect them and live a few weeks without the auror's division on my back… In spite of everything, I am an escaped convict and even between the order members there are few who believe in my innocence. My leaving is secret to all but Dumbledore, you and Hermione of course. I don't want to risk your safety for a few days of being together."

Harry watched Sirius acting in 10 minutes like a dad more than anyone acted like this towards him in fifteen years.

"It breaks my heart to see the years pass and I don't seem to get to spend with you more than a few days, Harry… It's all fault of Voldemort!"

Sirius clenched his fists and Harry copied his action involuntarily.

"When everything will be over I'll take you with my bike and we'll make a tour of every pub I know and we'll drink until we start to speak fluent gibberish."

Sirius sported again a huge grin and Harry couldn't help chuckle at his godfather's jokes.

Sirius hugged his godson fiercely, he couldn't understand why but he didn't like this mission more than Harry did.

"Watch your back Harry. I know the marauder spirit lies in you, in that foolish heroic instinct you used when you attacked a thousand dementors all by yourself . If everything fails, trust yourself to do the best thing possible and..." Sirius closed the distance betwen him and his godson's ear

„There will be times when there will be no better choice, just two really bad ones... don't think less about yourself when you'll have to chose."

Sirius watched Harry's face return to a soft and sad smile, caressed his cheek with his old calloused hand and turned to leave.

As he turned to descend the last steps, Harry grabbed his arm. The boy had a very harsh look on his face,

"Sirius, take care of her… I really don't trust Krum, he was under the Imperious curse in the maze…"

Sirius's eyes grew the size of plates, he didn't saw that considering the screen installed at the entry of the maze shifted between players often.

"He used Cruciatus against …Cedric… I stunned him, but being under Imperious is no excuse"

Sirius watched Harry grave, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know how did Harry find about resisting the Unforgivele, he was amazed to see the fierce look of Lily Potter in his godson, a look he wasn't able to refuse anything.

"Harry, is she important?" The young wizard gave a short but decided nod.

Sirius smiled broadly and ruffled his godson's hair. "I knew it!"

Before he could ask, Harry lost the grip on his arm and Sirius bolted towards the exit leaving an echo of laughter behind.

„Come in Harry!"

Dumbledore's soft voice reminded Harry the true purpose of his visit… he checked his wristwatch only to remember once again that it didn't worked since the second task.

Dumbledore's office was the usual organized mess. Tables scattered around the walls sported dozens of silver trinkets all spinning or letting small puffs of colored smoke. Tens of portraits covered the upper part of the walls, most of them watching him with vivid interest.

On a perch near the desk stood Fawkes. As his and Harry's eyes locked, the boy felt the bird calling him. Fawkes jumped on his shoulder feeling as light as a feather and gave a short trill. The bird became through the years quite a friend of Harry's with a deep connection the boy didn't fully understood, it was clear that the phoenix just knew when he was deep in danger and need it help.

"Hey boy, how are you?" The bird lowered her head to nibble on Harry's ear lobe, making the boy chuckle.

Dumbledore watched amazed Harry Potter and his phoenix, he knew this bird was too special to be owned like a normal familiar, Fawkes could chose to like or dislike someone and nobody could do anything to change his behavior. Since the day Fwakes joined him, the phoenix always treated everybody neutral with a slight improvement towards him, but with Harry there was another story, the bird reacted to him like a magnet, they always seemed to communicate somehow and Fawkes protected him like a mother protected her child.

"Have a seat Harry." Dumbledore closed the newspaper he had on the desk placing it in drawer.

"Good evening sir!" Harry's mind was still at Sirius and of course Hermione. As soon as he seet his eyes on the old wizard the cautious feeling returned. An impulse to get away as fast as possible overwhelmed the boy who almost got back on his feet.

„Fight it Harry..." Dumbledore wispered his advice almost casual, obviously paying much more attention to his pupil than it seemed.

The headmaster of Hogwarts sighed and took out his glasses for a moment to massage his eyelids. Putting them back, he watched Harry for a second and smiled broadly at the sight of a young man with enough guts to speak the infamous name "Voldemort".

Searching the young wizard's eyes for a second he could see another pair of orange angry eyes watching with interest behind the ones of his student, it wasn't clear if this malice attached to the boy's soul can communicate with Voldemort or is planted to torment Harry. In one way or another that entity was going to fight for control, the question remained _When?_ And _Who will win?_

_On that depends the fate of this world…_

"Harry, considering the shouting outside, I can guess Prof. McGonogall expressed her disagreement towards your actions…" Dumbledore gave a chuckle and Harry sighed relieved.

"Knowing your godfather and considering the spell he used a few minutes ago, I can also guess he told you right away what his mission is… "

The headmaster stopped for a second gathering his thoughts. "I know you may have some doubts about the necessity of this trip, but the fact is Harry that Mrs. Granger has a unique opportunity to stay in a safe place this summer. I sent Sirius to give him a bit of freedom and also to keep an eye your friend and her parents…

Harry listened to Dumbledore carefully...Hermione's safety seemed to be the main topic for the first time since he went at Hogwarts.

"What about me, sir? Where am I sent this time? Why couldn't I go with Sirius?"

Dumbledore watched Harry avoid his eyes and speak with such a bitter tone hiding hundreds of non-voiced accusations.

"Harry, as much as this hurts, you know very well that you will not be able to have a normal life until Voldemort falls… with him back in a stable form, things are more complicated than ever. He searches for you Harry and he knows about your two friends… I'm not concerned about Mr. Weasley, he has a hawk as mother, Hermione… she needs a safe wizarding world and Eastern Europe is the best solution at the moment.

You on the other hand… you need to go somewhere else…"

As soon as Dumbledore spoke about Hermione's safety, he saw the boy's attitude change, it was obvious Harry was ready to accept anything for the sake of his friend.

_That's his weakness…_

"Sir, I'm not sure Ms. Weasley wishes to see me anytime soon…"

"Indeed Harry, I must say Molly wasn't very happy with your choice of words but I'm fairly sure she will try to feed you six courses a day again until next Christmas… now, first of all I must inform you that you will not be need it to stay at Privet Drive number 4…ever."

Harry couldn't stop a grin.

"Considering the blood ritual Voldemort used to revive himself the blood wards that protected you in Surrey are now inefficient. Unfortunately, the Order of The Phoenix discovered an ample net of Death Eater informers infiltrated into the Ministry of Magic which can supervise the means of magical transportation or the use of magic in muggle areas… Also that scarr" Dumbledore pointed towards his forehead deep in thought.

„That scarr will become from now on a serious threat... it will no longer tell you when you're close to him, but it will also become a real time link between the two of you." For moment the headmaster looked like he wanted to say more, but he pushed the subject away with a swish of his hand, before turning his attention towards Harry

Harry looked confused.

"Than… can I stay here?

Dumbledore nodded in refuse and continued,

"To be more specific Harry, I can't let you leave by floo, portkey, sidealong apparition or flying broom… I cannot let you stay here but I cannot also let you get too far from Hogwarts because I need you to be able to defend yourself, the only solution for you is to go to a safe place in the Forbidden Forrest."

Harry didn't thought he will ever see the day to be sent on purpose into the Forbidden Forrest. The prospect of a whole summer with Merlin knows what vicious creatures wasn't comforting at all.

"I know this isn't what you would call fun Harry but it's the best I can do. You'll be travelling on foot and Firenze the centaur will be your guide and guardian."

Dumbledore was speaking his thoughts for once and Harry was surprised to see his previous impulse slowly fading away. Dumbledore leaned over his desk making Harry lean forward in response.

"Harry, a lot of things are going to change around here until the start of the year. Sirius will join you when he returns from Bulgaria, but until then I must ask you to avoid contacting anyone but me through Fawkes. You will not see your friends until September, until then try to learn from Firenze and whomever you meet as much as you can…"

Harry couldn't grasp the reason for which Dumbledore considered the forest so important but he was determined to do as he was told this time. Watching the clock Harry saw it was almost half past ten and once again Dumbledore seemed to guess his thoughts.

"You'll leave tomorrow morning at five. There is a traveling rucksack in your dormitory and a special item that I found very useful years ago… I hope you'll like it. By the way Harry, " Dumbledore looked dead serious "If the need will rise, you can trust Draco Malfoy."

That was just stupid… or utterly impossible, Harry opened his mouth a few times trying to refuse the offer, but he was too shocked.

Dumbledore smiled broadly and gave a short nod.

"Have a good trip Harry. I hope September will find us both safe and sound!"

Hogwarts was quite a cheerful place when filled with hundreds of wizard kids, but Harry knew another face of the castle, on his long night quests over the years he grew to like the silent castle at the late hours of the night. From under the invisibility cloak, he always had to pay attention to Filch, Miss Norris or other teacher, but tonight school was out and he needed time to think.

Hermione, that was his main concern… beyond his confused feelings there was a fear he couldn't quite explain, every summer she left the country with her parents going to France or Greece or somewhere else, but this time she went to Bulgaria, to Krum and he didn't liked the guy at all.

Sirius needed the vacation, as much as he would have wanted to stay mad on him, Harry couldn't deny the fact Sirius looked much happier at the prospect of leaving Britain behind at least for a bit.

The Weasleys…well they were his closest thing to a family and Molly acted like his mother, but he was Harry Potter, not Harry Weasley and Harry Potter had too much on his mind to watch his language in front of a bunch of infatuated wizards.

To top everything, Dumbledore had to tell him to trust the number two on his hater list after Voldemort. That was just insane, could have been possible for the wizard to get a bit loony?

_I guess I'm on my own for now…_

Reaching the Fat Lady's portrait, he entered without the usual password. The common room was quiet and strangely clean, with no twins to make a racket or Lavender jiggling madly to who knows what gossip, the golden-red room was a silent cozy home, his home…

The dormitory was empty, only a trunk stood placed at the foot of his bed, the most comfortable and personal bed he ever had. Surprisingly Hedwig stood on the windowsill with two letters tied on her foot.

"Hey girl… long time no see…" Harry ruffled his owl's soft feathers. Hedwig represented for four years his connection with the wizarding world during the summers. Not to mention, this snowy owl was quite a clever one always knowing when Harry had a letter to send or receive.

The snowy owl gave a happy screech and nibbled on his fingers. Then Harry noticed one of the letters was wrapped in a deep red colored parcel.

"Ow, that can't be good…" He knew from previous experience not to doodle with a Howler quickly untying the two letters. He placed the first letter on the table under the window before approaching the second one.

As soon as Hedwig felt the red letter away from his leg she flew in the other corner of the room ducking for cover behind a hanger.

"Such a friend you are…" Harry chuckled at his owl's betrayal, before a thick cloud of smoke erupted from the letter and the parcel rose into mid air talking with Mrs. Weasley's angry voice,

"HARRY POTTER, I HAVE NEVER HEARD SUCH A FOUL LANGUAGE FROM ONE OF MY KIDS. DON'T YOU EVER TALK LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF THE ORDER, YOUR PARENTS WERE MEMBERS ALSO AND THEY WOULDN'T LIKE TO HEAR YOU CURSE!

I KNOW YOU WON'T BE STAYING WITH US THIS SUMMER SO WHEREVER YOU GO TRY TO EAT PROPERLY AND DON'T FORGET TO WASH YOUR TEETH…"

Harry thought that was all but the letter gave a smoky cough before shouting again,

"DON'T YOU DARE MISSING FROM THE BURROW ON CHRISTMAS TOO!" The red parcel broke in tiny pieces and the letter disintegrated before his eyes….

Harry didn't know if he should be mad or amused with Molly Weasley's letter. One thing was for sure, she considered him her child, she cared for his health and that made her the closest thing for a mother Harry ever had.

Finally, he couldn't stop and broke in laughter seeing Hedwig approach.

"Oh you mighty, brave owl!"

Harry opened the curtains to his bed and found a camouflage rucksack big enough for all his miserable possessions. Next to it was a small thin cardboard box wrapped in old parchment. The boy opened the box and stopped mesmerized… made of nice worn leather with small silver caps on the side- a wand holster. It was obvious the holster wasn't new but that didn't mattered, it was beautiful. It fitted his arm perfectly and Harry noticed on the bottom of the box a small note was folded, it was from Dumbledore.

_I hope it will come handy. I used it for many years and it has never failed me. There is a number of charms used on it to make it safer, stronger and durable. Consider it an early birthday present._

"Nice…" Harry placed his holly and phoenix wand in and instantly felt it a part of him, close to his hand always with him, the perfect tool.

Harry changed in his night clothes and then took Hedwig on his arm,

"Hey girl… I guess you'll be really pissed on me, but this summer you can't come where I'm going." The owl stared in the boy's eyes with an unusual inteligence.

"I have to go somewhere not very far but totally secret… you're just too special, your white feathers make you easy to spot…" Harry talked to his owl in a hushed voice apologizing for everything his dearest friend will have to do without him. "I can't afford to lose you Hedwig… I need you to be a good owl and go to stay at Ron's…"

The owl gave a muffled screech in understanding and then placed her head on Harry's chest to give a much more melodic trill…

Harry felt his eyes wet, "I'll miss you too Hedwig, I'll miss you a lot, take care of you and wait for my call, " Hedwig was now looking intently in Harry's eyes. "I know you sense when I need you girl. Go now! Fly low and don't stop until you get to The Burrow!"

He opened the window and the snowy owl flew into the night.

It was almost 11:00 PM but Harry wasn't sure if he should go to sleep. He opened his trunk and started to sort through his things. Since he started at Hogwarts, Harry never bothered to fully empty his trunk but now he was just curious to see what junk he carried on the bottom of it for four years. Almost an hour and a half later the raven-haired boy found himself in front of a meter high pile of parchments, broken quills, non-fitting clothes, sweets wrappings, a broken cauldron and a few other things with non-recognizable form, color or odor…

He stacked all the books and other things he didn't need it in the trunk before locking it with a few charms. The rest of his decent clothes, a few books about fighting the dark arts, the broom polishing kit, his photo album and a few other things he packed them in his rucksack. The Firebolt Broom was tied on the side of it and the wrist holder strapped on his arm with the wand in place.

Stuffing all the junk in one of the bins Harry sighed at his almost empty trunk and the half full rucksack… this was everything he had, everything he owned from his relatives was either a second hand or just something too ruined and battered to be worn or used by one of the Dursley's.

There were so many feelings he needed to discern and so many things to think about, but for the moment his bed was too invinting.

It was 12:30AM when Harry finally decided to risk other nightmares and get a few hours of sleep.

**NOTE: Thank you all who marked my story for favorite or alert. Please read and review. Your reviews keep me writing.**


	6. Chapter VI

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**NOTE: Thanks for the reviews, hope to get more. Here you go, another update.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Departure and arrival-**

"_Speak!"_Voldemort's cold growl made him shudder. In spite of not being afraid of him, the poisonous voice of his enemy always made his stomach clench.

"_My Lord, the target is on her way. But there is a small problem…"_A frightened soul, as always… could it be a coward Death Eater, or a frightened ordinary wizard obliged to do the Dark Lord's dirty jobs under life threat… or worse?

"_I don't like complications Vladimir…"_

"_She's coming accompanied…"_The others voice was a mear whisper,

"_Crucio!"__You eastern quack, you need to get her to trust you, completely !… any other person involved will complicate things…"_The scream of agonizing pain died in the throat of the victim coming out like a chocked cough…

"_There was nothing to do, I promise you master, everything will go as we planned…" _He would say anything…

"_It better be Vladimir, there are so many things she knows about him… and send a word to your brother,"_The same lethal tone…

"_Yes master…"_

"_One more problem… and there won't be enough to burry your family in a matchbox…"_

With a painful jerk, Harry awoke sitting on his bed. He was drenched in sweat and the cold air of the night made the boy shiver. A vision, but this time he only heard things... nothing more.

_Maybe I wasn't sleeping deep enough…_he didn't like it, whatever he was planning, Voldemort wanted to gain someone's trust… a she…

"What are you up to, sneak face?"

Harry muttered through his clenched jaws feeling once again the hot wave of anger trying to break loose. It was the same feeling he got in the Great Hall or in the corridor near Dumbledore's office… and this time there wasn't Hermione to calm him…

He took deep breaths and then left his bed to open the window. With cold air rushing through, he put his hands on the sill and let his eyes wander over the school's grounds. The clock on the wall ticked 4:00 AM and that meant he had another hour to spend until he was going to leave for the strangest holiday destination ever- The Forbidden Forest.

Hedwig left, Hermione left, Sirius too and even Ron was away… and the "best" part, he couldn't contact any of them… Dumbledore's safety policy…

_at least Sirius is with her…_

With one last sigh, Harry turned from the window decided to go to the kitchens but the muffled sound of a falling paper distracted him. At the base of the window under a short and narrow table laid another envelope, with both Hogwarts and The Ministry of Magic stamps on it. It was the second letter Hedwig came with, but last night, in the rush of the moment, Harry forgot about it.

"Great…"

Harry rolled his eyes and opened the envelope carefull; a check and a letter fell from it.

The check had the MoM emblem and it was signed for 1000 galleons. The letter was an official Hogwarts note.

_Dear Mister Potter,_

_After winning the Triwizard Tournament, the Hogwarts Board of Governors wishes to congratulate you for your outstanding performance against the other champions and your colleague Mr. Diggory. A special place in the Hogwarts trophy room will be prepared to mark this moment, always reminding you and the students about your feat against the other competitors._

_Hopping you are well and spending your well earned prize,_

_Lucius Malfoy, School governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

The boy stood on his bed not knowing when he dropped there like a stone. The letter was still clenched in his hands, he was shivering with cold and anger, every second ticking on the clock like a Chinese water drop on his forehead.

_The blond snake is back in bussines…_

A deep frown grew on the boy's face, Malfoy was going to make him pay… and Voldemort also… that blond slime was going to do everything in his power to make sure of that… The letter was just a warning message from Voldemort… .

"And he wants me to trust one of them!" Harry's growl was deep and fiiled with a long lasting hate.

Dumbledore was so naïve sometimes…

Harry stood by the window letting the vivid sounds of the forest clear his thoughts. This was bad, but Malfoy's arrogance to send him a message was probably the best thing that could happen. Voldemort was trying to isolate the wounded animal from the pack- The-boy-who-lived.

Without second thought, Harry meticulously took a pen, scribbled a few words on the back of the note, and then rolled it tight in a little tube. Then he looked at the check… Harry hated to do this but he had to agree with the not so subtle message from Malfoy, the prize was covered in the blood of his friend.

A funny thought came to his mind and Harry grabbed a piece of parchment from the pile of junk gathered last night.

_Hey guys, this is a repayment for the Marauder's Map. Hope is enough for the joke shop. Do me a favor and don't mention it to anybody…not even me… ever._

_Get to work guys!_

Harry gave another chuckle to his antics wishing he could see the faces of his redheaded friends reading the note and the check. Then he took the used envelope and mend it for his letter.

Dumbledore was right, things were going to be different in September. Sending him into the forest was a way to protect him from Malfoy's long hand covered in blood and money. The cold air and the image of his happy friends calmed him enough to handle something without breaking it and his breathing was a tad steadier. The clocked showed ten minutes to five, it was time to leave.

There were only a few hours since his night shower and the chilly air made the boy reconsider taking another one.

_I'll be drenched in a few hours anyway._

Harry walked to the bathroom spilling a great amount of water on his face and back of his neck washing away the last marks of sleep. The rucksack was packed with the Firebolt straped tight, his wand was on his wrist and pretty much everything seemed to be in order but Harry couldn't ignore the strange feeling in his gut… this trip was going to be more than two months of staying hidden…

The walk through the castle was much smoother without worrying being caught and the portraits snoring or mumbling through their sleep gave the halls a cozy feeling. Harry hopped he will see Dumbledore or maybe Remus before departure but his walk remained uninterrupted. As soon as he opened the doors, he was greeted by a cool wisp of wind.

Walking towards the owlery, Harry noticed the wet grass watching amazed the pearls of dew reflect the eerie light of the morning in hundreds of faint colors. In spite of the early hour the nature seemed more alive than ever, insects rushed through the grass, birds sang long trills from low branches and the wind delicately ruffled the tree's leafs in a game of reflections.

The owlery was almost empty.

_I guess owls go on holiday too…_

Apart for a few barn owls, the other nests were empty and oddly clean. Harry searched Hedwig's nest on a high ledge but found only the skeletons of a few rodents his familiar probably ate a night ago.

He chose a slender brown owl. Judging the annoyed screech it was obvious the small bird just arrived from an unsuccessful hunt and Harry tried to protect his fingers from the owl's sharp beak.

"Take this to Fred and George Weasley at „The Burrow" in Ottery St. Catchpole. Do not let anyone receive it but Fred or George!" Harry showed the owl a small letter and then tied it to her leg.

"Don't wait for an answer, and this one..." showing a small tube "take it to Lucius Malfoy and fly away fast ." The owl gave a soft screech in understanding and puffed her chest trying to show the boy she didn't fear anything.

"Good girl ! "

Harry watched the owl fly through the window in the roof and then turned to leave. He was probably going to be late and he wasn't sure how the centaurs felt about tardiness.

Harry run all the way from the owlery to Hagrid's hut stopping only for a moment to watch the giant Squib in the lake shot a long waterspout towards the sky. Every step towards the forest felt like another gulp of liquid energy. His mind was much clearer and he was feeling better than ever. He reached the steps of Hagrid's Hut but the door was locked and no light came from the windows. The half giant was probably away with Hogwarts business.

The centaur was nowhere to be seen for the moment, Harry sat on the wood stairs and closed his eyes taking in every breath of air that now came much easier into his lungs.

Harry wandered if Firenze was late for a serious reason considering most of the magical creatures he knew were very punctual. He knew the centaur but it seemed like ages since Harry's first year at Hogwarts when he met for the first time the crippled form of the dark lord Voldemort. The half-dead creature was feeding his miserable excuse for a life with unicorn blood and he tried to stop him.

"What an idiot…" Harry couldn't stop saying, remembering his eleven year old self, trying to stop a dark creature. Luckly for Harry, Firenze was there to save him. He was still impressed with the courage of the centaur who jumped between Voldemort and the boy driving the dark wizard away. This was a life debt Harry hoped he could repay when need it.

From Hagrid's class he knew the centaurs held old grudges against the wizards. They had a similar situation with the goblins, but their nature and habitat made them look like a wild and barbarian tribe.

In spite of Dumbledore's habit to place him with cruel relatives and other kind of related monsters, this time Harry didn't felt nervous, one way or another he was going to get along with Firenze.

"Good morning Harry Potter, I'm sorry for the lateness, I've been… delayed."

Behind the shadows of the forest, the silhouette of a white horse paced slowly towards the light. The upper torso was replaced with the one of a human, a tanned man with long white hair falling on his back. On his four horse feet were tied various straps holding leather pouches, a bow and some wood arrows. The centaur had the looks of a warrior but his eyes were most intriguing. Firenze had grey eyes, his irises were so devoid of color it made him different even between his kinds. It was difficult to say when the centaur focused on something or was lost in thought.

"Good evening sir…" Harry stood watching the centaur expectantly. Unlike being near goblins or merpeople, with the centaur Harry didn't felt the need to constantly search for cover and means to escape, he felt safe and the boy learned to trust his instinct.

The centaur watched the boy with a scrutinizing look and then searched his gaze. Harry frowned slightly trying to keep the eye lock but he couldn't bare the brush on his mind he felt coming from the centaur. It was the same feeling of being stripped of secrets he often had when he was in Dumbledore's presence.

"We should get going, but first I need to warn you." Firenze's voice was low and serious.

"The plan was to take you to the camp by the usual short road through the forest using me as your carrier for fast movement. Unfortunately… being your guide doesn't seem to be a good reference in my tribe and I've been banned from the lands of the centaurs for a time period." The centaur's voice was bitter and Harry knew better what it meant to have everyone against you.

"I'm sorry sir…I didn't knew I've done something to the centaurs." Harry tried to muffle the usual feeling of guiltiness he always had when such things happened around him. He was like a magnet to every bad thing in the world…

The centaur stopped for a second amazed.

"There's no need to feel sorry Harry Potter. There is nothing you could have done… only the preconceptions of my people and the overconfidence in their star reading. I have found another route but it will be much dangerous."

The finality in Firenze's words told the boy the conversation was over for the moment.

Without any other words, the centaur turned towards the Forbidden Forest walking a steady pace. Harry hesitated for a second, you couldn't be accused of being a coward for not wanting to enter the most magical and dark forest in the world. Firenze's silhouette was starting to disappear behind the trees and Harry remembered the letter from Malfoy… that was a serious warning, he had to behave for once and trust Dumbledore on this one.

As soon as he stepped into the forest, Harry felt a new wave of liberation wash over his mind. His depressive, angered thoughts were replaced by the most alive thing he ever felt- the forest.

In spite of its name, Harry couldn't deny the forest had another side, a beautiful one that probably only Hagrid and a few others knew. Huge arbors were connected in a net of vines and cobwebs. The day light could only burst through the leaf roof top only once and a while when a wisp of wind would swing the branches. The floor was a soft mattress of moss, which made Harry feel like walking on springs. "Old men's beard" hung from the low branches like green curtains delimiting different areas. It was obvious this part of the forest Firenze was taking Harry was even wilder than the places Harry went in his previous years.

"Don't be fooled Harry Potter, this forest is more dangerous than anything." The centaur walked in front of Harry slashing the vines, which blocked the narrow path from time to time with a short blade.

"Trolls, acromantulas, furies, werewolves, vampires, dark spirits, fairies and others lurk behind the shadows. This path is unknown to most of them but it doesn't mean it's completely safe."

Harry looked almost startled towards the centaur. For a moment, he almost forgot why he was here, because of whom…

"I know who you're hiding from child, his influence has broke the minds of many creatures here, don't lose your focus or you risk becoming a mindless puppet in the hands of a verry crafted puppetter."

Firenze tried to bring the boy to a more attentive state. Entering the forest he witnessed a radical transformation, Harry Potter was calmer, happier and the active malice, which fuelled his anger, was now slumbering.

The sun indicated it was almost lunchtime but Harry felt fresher than ever. Along the path, he noticed he could tell which fruits or roots were good to eat by smell and a few times, he found springs to quench his thirst by sensing the change in temperature around him.

"I love this!" The boy muttered under his breath sporting a large smile. He was in the forest for only a few hours and he could already say he felt better than ever. It was as if at the entrance in the forest he took the veil that clouded his vision and pulled the plugs which toned down his smell and hearing. His glasses were long forgotten and he couldn't quite remember where he lost his shoes, to feel the moss under his feet was like walking on the softest carpet he ever walked on. There were sounds he never knew he could hear, movements in the dark he could have never seen with his glasses on, but then his wander was distracted by a familiar feeling… they were watched.

A soft hissing sound like a shallow breathing was frightening the small animals at least 50 meters behind them. Harry focused his hearing for a second only to spot at least two more hissings a bit closer to his left and right, whatever they were they were surrounding them.

"Sir…"

"I know child , four of them, be prepared to fight." Firenze seemed calm. "They hate powerful light."

Harry felt beyond his guide's calm a tensed body ready to jump for fight. He could see Firenze's hands hanging around his body brushing at every step his bow and arrows. The shallow breathing was getting clearer and soon the boy could hear the muffled sounds of rare footsteps. At least they walked on two feet… _could they be Death Eaters?_A foul smell of rotting flesh reached his nose. _Nope, this ones smell better…_Then the forest went silent.

"The calm before the storm…" Harry heard the centaur mutter under his breath and he readied himself. His body tensed like a spring and his wand slide slowly from his holster down to his open palm closing around the small handle making it an extension of his limb.

Harry Potter was just a teenager but after his last encounter with Voldemort, after clenching a sword for the second time in his hands and fight his way out with it, it was like a seal was broke in his mind. Courage was replaced by almost a normality in fighting. He had to fight for his life and that was it.

It took only a second before he felt Firenze turning back to back with him, then the whistling of an arrow broke the silence followed by the unmistakable sound of a body falling flat.

Harry scrutinized the darkness and then he saw him. A young man, probably no more than twentyes…but for how long? His skin was pale blue like a drown man's and his once stilled suit was shredded, the eyes were blood red and black crooked teeth completed the face of this human like creature.

Harry never waited to think what it really was, the creature broke the pacing in a run producing in the same time from under his clothes a long knife with curved blade.

Two more arrows slashed the shadows from his right and left towards the other two and then Firenze's voice boomed.

"Light, Harry Potter!"

"_**Lumos Maxima!"**_ Harry sprang to action and the creature stopped placing his hands on his face. His mouth was open but no sound came from it, only the hissed breathing.

Without other thought, Harry flicked his wand like a lashes' handle,

"_**Reducto!"**_

The effect was surely surprising, instead of throwing the creature back through the air, it made it explode.

The sight and the smell made Harry loose the control of his stomach almost instantly. A few moments later, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and water poured over his head.

"This should help it. Drank a bit also!" Firenze sounded as calm as before.

"Thanks!" Harry took the bottle of water and drank in small sips until he felt his stomach would stay in his place.

The forest seemed unchanged; Harry chose to keep his back turned from his kill feeling he won't be able to withstand the image again. Firenze had a much cleaner way to deal with his enemies, three arrows found their way in three chests which now didn't rise and fall in a hissing breath.

"Moroi, Harry Potter, vicious creatures from the Eastern Europe, Romania to be specific…"

Harry watched the other three creatures, which had the same resemblance with the one he destroyed.

"They are living dead but without the curse of immortality, only a long life. The legends say they are children who died before being baptized. If they catch you in their arms you're as good as dead, also fear their curved knifes- yatagans."

Harry felt like in a Care of Magical Creatures class, Firenze was talking calm explaining and pointing out different ways to discern a moroi from an inferius or a vampire.

"We are almost there Harry Potter, come!" The centaur pulled the arrows from the moroi's chests and placed them back in his quiver.

The path was wilder and wilder, vines and dead threes blocked their way and a few times Firenze stopped abruptly in front a crevasse hidden by dead branches or behind a tree to listen carefully. It was obvious they were deeper into the forest than most of wizards ever got. Harry heard more and more breathings but most of them were small animals.

They were walking for more than four hours since their fight with the moroi when the forest became almost impenetrable. The trees were grown so close together it was hard to see through and vines hang low threatening to strangle whoever would walk under.

"Ah… the sanctuary…" Firenze spoke delighted and Harry felt the centaur was returning here for a long time.

The centaur and Harry walked around this living wall until the powerful sunlight broke the darkness and they entered a clearing.

"Welcome Harry Potter… welcome into The Valley of The Ents!"

Harry was still temporarily blinded by the sudden exposure to the light but the happiness in the centaur's voice was obvious. As the flakes in his eyes faded, Harry looked around to see the most magical place he ever set his foot on.

This wasn't the Hogwarts magic, here there were no talking portraits, moving stairways or other obvious magical things, this magic was subtle and powerful, it was a magic of protection and preserve.

The Valley was large enough to hold the stadium of the World's Quidditch Cup, surrounded by a wall of trees with only one exit, an arch created by two oaks tall enough to support a quidditch ring.

Unlike the forest, here a short thick grass replaced the moss and in the center, a calm pond chilled the hot air. From one side of the pond, a narrow canal deep enough to have a good swim left towards one side of the clearing and then encircled half of it before disappearing through a tree's roots in a small waterfall by the heard of it .

_Magic…_ Harry walked slowly taking in every detail of the Valley, feeling this place was older than Hogwarts.

The centaur watched his protégé walk through the clearing and once again searched his eyes. When Harry turned he locked eyes with him, but this time the boy kept it without flinching, the malice was caged and it would probably stay like that for the rest of their time in the Valley of The Ents.

"This will be our home for the following months Harry Potter. I have taken you here as I was requested by Dumbledore' and now at his request I also give you a choice."

This had to be important, the centaur was dead serious.

"You do not know what you'll find at the opening of the new school term, but it is obvious that Cedric Diggory's death will be placed upon your shoulders in some form or another."

Harry's gaze dropped towards the ground, he felt responsible, he was the one who convinced Cedric to touch the cup.

"There is no fault in your actions at Tournament child!" Firenze spoke with trust.

"But Voldemort and The Ministry he tries to overtake will do whatever is necessary to bring you down… down to a life devoid of magic. They Minstry of Moagic will use any weakness you have for you to make the wrong step, the step which will give them the pretext to put you in front of danger."

For a magical creature, Firenze spoke like a highly skilled politician and Harry agreed with him.

"I can train you to survive without magic. I can give you a chance to fight when your wand will leave your hands, I can help you payback some of the injustice you suffered for fifteen years when no one will trust you able.

Firenze spoke with an unknown power, his words touched every bit of Harry's mind imprinting for eternity. This was the first time he was given the chance to fight willingly, to learn and prepare to withstand Voldemort's power.

After all these years he was going to change the usual dumping into the middle of the fight he always got at Hogwarts.

The centaur watched a flame of hope light in the boy's eyes and then the flame met the winter in the centaur's looks melting it slowly.

"I'll do whatever it takes sir. I'm ready to learn!"

So, the boy had some brain also... Knowing his life, Firenze expected to meet a frightened soul, tired of years of fighting for his life. Dumbledore did many great things, but it took a lot for the old wizard to see that the boy had to be treated differently. There was no childhood for Harry Potter, he lost it on that night along with his parents.

Firenze felt this was a new beginning for both him and his new pupil, he trusted Dumbledore and he respected the old wizard for his onesty, but Harry Potter acted different, he acted as if he was ready to consider him a friend and that was more precious than anything was.

"Very well child, we will start you're training as soon as possible. Until then you can rest into the hut."

Harry looked around confused, could it be a hut around placed under charms or something?

"Sir… which hut?"

The centaur watched the boy sporting his first amused smile in many years, this was going to be funny:

"The one you'll going to build, of course!"

**Like it? Hate it? Well write a review, give me advices or tell me what would you like to see or not in this fanfic.**


	7. Chapter VII

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**NOTE: This is a short chapter, a few thoughts from Sirius... a longer one will follow.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Small chat-**

„It broke my heart to leave him like this…

In the same time I was thrilled to see some life in his tired eyes…

I don't liked the way Harry is since he woke up, he was never afraid of anything, but now…every time he speaks he has some sort of doom's day finnaly in his voice and I know it sounds strange but he spooks me. This isn't the Harry I knew and I know I didn't knew him too much but this he is so different from the young knight that saved me some time ago.

He is depressed and angry and the way Dumbledore handles the situation will make things worse. For Merlin's sake he saw his friend murdered in front of him! … He doesn't speak but I have a felling he saw other things… darker …

And the way he gets angry… I thought Remus in his werewolf form had a bad temper but my godson beats everything. Trust me Lily, your son makes my mother look like an old granny… but at least he get's pissed on the right things…"

The voice dimmed to almost a whisper.

„I still don't understand Dumbledore, I can not accept the way he left me there to root like a murderer… I see how easy was to see me as the killer though. There was a time when his grandfatherly attitude and his magical skills made me watch this wizard in awe… but that was a time when you would be right next to me and we would do that just for a few moments before cracking some jokes about his robes or planning to steal his glasses.

James…

I called your name so many times there… and Lily's also… I called and shouted your names until the dementors came to put me to sleep, in their own gentle way… I thought about Harry so many times and in spite of everything, I couldn't help worrying about him, maybe it was because that was the moment I stopped believing in Dumbledore… the moment I saw the most beloved persons in my life dead I stopped believing in him…

I knew the boy will get his share of Dumbledore's deceptions, I was shocked to see the quantity but I couldn't say it was unbelievable… what was even more shocking was to see Harry still trust the old wizard, but I guess this how Harry functions, trying to bring to the surface the best of anyone.

It's a miracle the way Harry is today, the first time I got the chance to meet him I almost thought you somehow came back from the death, he looks just like you Prongs, he has that wild hair and your silly grin, but that is something reserved only for specials, like me or… Hermione.

He doesn't smile so often, he has an almost permanent tiredness hovering over him and now I could swear you could see him gasp for air every time he chuckled or smiled. When I met him he I couldn't believe such power and courage could come from such a little man, he was more cheerful than he is now, that's for sure and his eyes… I don't know if I forgot to tell you this but his mother's eyes are still there. You know how we used to argue if his eyes will remain like this or will fade in time?

Nope, they are still there, green as molten jade, a morning forest always deep in thought. Harry is the most beautiful and complete person you could have ever create guys… I don't know if I will ever get to see someone so… self-sustainable, so… aware of everything and with such a power to adapt. He entered this world like a stranger, imagine that, Harry Potter finding about magic at eleven years old… Ha! I would have said that is the most stupid thing I heard but it's true, he found what he is a wizard in the most muggleborn way possible… well, except the part were Hagrid came to break the news…

Sorry for laughing like a madman James but Dumble's way to deal with Harry goes from horrible to hilarious along their history. Sending Hagrid to tell the boy "Well Harry, you're a wizard!" is one of the most comic and creepy things to do. Any other boy would have ran screaming for help, but don't forget we are talking about Harry here… he looked at good old Hagrid saying, "I'm sorry sir, but I can't be a wizard, I am Harry… just Harry"…

I guess it's probably a good thing I was locked away because I would have killed those horrid muggles only for seeing my godson talking about him as… "just Harry". I know Dumbledore chose the easy way, but those morons could have gave the poor child the best life he could have, instead… maybe this part I shouldn't tell you, I don't need you waking up on me…

Anyway, You should be the proudest father ever James, your boy and by the way, my godson, came to Hogwarts and became exactly that- just Harry, all the fame in the magical world, all bottled up at Hogwarts couldn't turn Harry in some infatuated child everyone feared he will become. Harry came as a most educated (I really don't get how…) and most capable wizard, ready to judge everyone for who they were and not for how they looked or bloodstatus.

His best friends are a muggleborn, a Weasley, a werewolf, a halfgiant, a house elf, and a bunch of other "pure" creatures. I really think he could get a prize only for the amount and diversity. Everyone who gets to know him instantly likes him and I'm talking about sane beings so don't think about Snape either.

Unfortunately, the Marauder spirit isn't the same in Harry… don't get me wrong, he kinda broke all the school rules possible, but 99% percent of the time was to either discover a Secret Chamber and a basilisk, to get to The Forbidden Forest or to beat a few traps placed by outstanding wizards and discover the Philosophers's Stone…

And he did that with Snape always trying to get him red handed…

I swear that git tries to revenge every prank we ever pulled on him through Harry. From what I heard he went full speed on Harry from the first day and hasn't tired once, I'm sure some day either I or Harry will give him a nice curse up his… well, you know what I mean….

Anyway, James… I'm worried about him… he isn't the boy I knew and I'm not talking about growing up… After the whole fiasco at the tournament, and by the way, Harry is the most accomplished dragon slayer I have ever seen… he came back changed.

I don't know what happened, Dumbledore says he doesn't know also and Harry says he doesn't remember much but the fact Voldemort is back… for once I don't believe him. I don't believe Harry when he says he doesn't know and I'm fairly sure Dumbledore guessed some things, but he won't let it out.

I'm afraid Harry fought with Voldemort like no one, I know, we should be proud and we should thank Merlin for this boy has become a savior, but this isn't something to cheer, the fact is Harry had to fight, he had to act like a savior and he had to see a friend being murdered. He blames himself, of that I'm sure but there has to be something else… he heard or did or I don't know… he came back changed…

I swear to you James, my godson is now a nice replica of our beloved Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody. I'm not talking about looks, he kinda resembles a rock star with his grown hair hanging so no problems there, but the way he acts…Merlin he has the same bad temper Lily used to have in your days of love quest. You should have seen him when The Order refused his membership, I was proud and scared in the same time to see my godson ready to pull his wand and maybe hex a few wizards.

I'm not sure how I managed to mend things but I hope no order member will try to get him into a full body bind curse next time they see him. Luckly Tonks was there to keep him calm until Hermione came in…"

Once again, his words turned in whispers.

„Boy, she is something… brightest witch of her age and all… She's become my best friend since she helped Harry bust me out of a cell where I was waiting for a dementor's kiss. By the way, Snape got me there in the first place.

She's like a storm when she wants something…pretty much like Lily… I'm sure she could teach if she wanted in spite being fifteen, but somehow our beloved hotshot has made her the best friend he could have. Personally, I believe this two should have been together for sometime now, but I guess they'll see how much they miss each other this summer.

I know I should say Remus is my best friend, but the truth is we are not so tight like we used to… he is Dumbledore's man, he would do anything the old wizard says and I'm sorry for him. Remus has a bright mind but he chose to let the thinking for others… like he did when he never came to see me in Azkaban to at least hear my story.

Hermione has filled the place well and that's because we have the best thing in common- Harry. That girl stood right by his side every time he went in knight mode. I don't know how will they get along from now one considering she is dating some Bulgarian bloke but I've learned from the way you two got together to never lose hope.

She knows Harry the most… at least everything he ever let out. Every part of her wisdom is used to help Harry, or protect Harry and every talk is a mixture of complicated words and "Harry does that", "Harry says that", "Harry is this", "Harry and I"...

What struck me was the way Harry acts around her… he is like a mama bear ready to jump and protect her. Since he came back, the only time I haven't seen Harry impulsive or fidgeting or twitching madly was around Hermione. She is his center of gravity and I know he loves her… exactly like you loved Lily.

He told me tonight when I left to take care of her and that brings me to my latest news…"

A sadnees enveloped the whole area like the entire nature reacted to his words.

„I'm leaving for a while guys… Hermione is going to her boyfriend for a so called trip. Actually, Voldemort found about her and The Weasleys and because of her status, Dumbledore doesn't want to risk her safety. I'm not really sure why Bulgaria is safer, but Dumbles mumbled something about different magic…

I'm going as Snuffles and I'll do my best to protect her, she's my friend and most important I know how much she means to Harry. I don't know where Harry is, but I believe he is safe, I tried to be as convincingly as possible with Dumbledore. I do hope I'll get to see him before September, but there are low chances, at least I hope everything will be ok and the dreading feeling I have for the last ours will turn out to be just my twisted imagination.

I have to go; she awaits me at the station in Hogsmeade.

I love you guys, I'll come to visit as soon as I can, but until then you watch over Harry and don't laugh too much at me chasing my tail. She comes with her parents and I have to be convincing…

* * *

><p>A dark silhouette jumped the fence over the cemetery in Godric's Hollow and then strode towards the shadow of a few tall oaks. As soon as he reached the secluded are he turned on spot and vanished in thin air with a small pop.<p> 


	8. Chapter VIII

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

NOTE: Sorry for such a long wait... I had a lot on my mind these days. Hope you like the chapter and just to be clear, this is a story I create as it comes and everything is AU so don't tell me ''Dumbledore isn't like this'' or ''Harry isn't like that''.

**Enjoy and please review, I am open to suggestions and critics.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Training hard-**

The sharp whistle of a horn thundered in Harry's ears followed by a well known voice by now,

"Rise Harry Potter, the enemy knows neither rest nor sleep!"

_I swear he's one of Moody's lost children's or something…_

Harry awoke and fell from his wooden bed in haste to get dressed and find his wand in the same time. It took almost a minute of rambling through the drawers before remembering he didn't have it anymore.

The boy sighed, it was the end of his second week here and he still couldn't get used to not have a wand. Firenze confiscated the wand the same day they reached the Valley. Surely fighting with curses was much more elegant and painless then fighting with his bare hands. Not that he actually knew how to fight… his best training in combat was either a good punch bag session with Dudley or a few roundshots with Voldemort as the shooter and him as the target.

He reluctantly opened the door and instantly felt jolted with energy. The sun was just rising, but he felt more rested than ever, in spite of getting only five or six hours of sleep. This happened every morning, after a full day of hard work he awoke with full power, it was like the valley always took care to replenish his energy through the night. He couldn't remember the last time he ate more than a hand full of mushrooms or a few roots, but also he couldn't remember the last time he was hungry.

The wet grass was so inviting Harry paced barefooted taking in the chilly sensation. A stream of powerful smells and sounds came from the forest like his senses were just plugged in.

The dreamy sensation which clouded his mind faded in the first days of his arrival and now he enjoyed every minute here being aware of things he didn't even knew existed before. There was still some part of his brain trying to find the explanation, but the better part of it just accepted this… enhancement.

Firenze was nowhere in sight, probably busy preparing something new for the day so Harry left his clothes on the way and jumped into the canal letting the ice cold water fully wake him up. The first second the water closed above his head a rush of feelings and vibrations on his skin took the place of the rather loud world from above. Through the water, the forest became a net of gurgling vibes and movements amplified to an almost understanding level. Somewhere near the valley a tree was just falling down ripping vines and small bushes along. In the opposite way, an acromantula was slowly making her way through the shrubs eyeing an oblivious deer.

Towards south, small but steady pulses of vibration indicated where Hogwarts was and there was a rather fragile hearth beating at the edge of the lands suggesting a wizard or witch was just passing by.

With short and powerful moves he burst out of the water splashing wildly and tilted his head to let the wild mane of hair rest on his back. The sun was a bit higher now and the chillness of the morning was almost entirely gone. The soft pearls of water on his skin were slowly dripping towards his waist and then back into the stream. For a moment the fast canal calmed and Harry watched amazed the reflection of someone who didn't resemble entirely with him…

Where was the thin boy who seemed to have more bones then flesh? In his place stood now a tall man with broad shoulders and a body which suggested power and balance. Strong muscles sneaked their way on his arms and his shoulders were now broad enough to withstand the pressure of long ours of heavy training. His hair was darker than charcoal, passing his shoulders and making him resemble more with his godfather than a Potter. His glasses were long forgotten and his eyes seemed now to be greener than ever…if that was possible.

He was still Harry, that was for sure, but this new form of him had a more complete feeling, like a long forgotten link was reatached to a chain, becoming twice longer .

Feeling the sun's heat on his back, Harry let himself fall on his back into the water, taking in the pleasure of feeling strong. Since his entry into the forest he felt like a healing process started within him. It started with his eyes and then enveloped his whole body. At first, the feeling was just… overwhelming, he could still remember the worried look of Firenze when they traveled through the forest, but then it stabilized working at a more subtle level which sometimes passed even beyond his notice.

The first days in the valley were quite difficult, his body was still weak and the feeling of this… transformation was still confusing, but after his third or fourth day this new Harry became again "just Harry" and Firenze's tasks started to get… possible.

The young wizard lifted his nose to the surface leaving his body float on his back an inch under the water. Firenze was still absent.

The centaur became a friend, but a strict master in the hours of training. Harry felt there were answers he could get from the centaur, things Dumbledore would never tell him, but there were a lot of things the centaur left the boy find for himself. A harsh way to make someone more cautios and silent, especialy in such a dangerous place.

They never spoke why or how Harry healed and developed so much in such a short time, Harry didn't asked and Firenze chose not to explain, he took everything like normal and that made time run a bit smoother without awkward questions or arguments.

The training was… physical. Firenze kept his word and was giving Harry the most complete training. Soon Harry found himself making abs and pushups without any knowledge of effort, swim dozens of laps of canal with no pain in his limbs. There were no weapons and no fancy fight moves Harry imagined, actually everything seemed to be a test of nerves and reaction.

"_A tree does not give fruits until it cannot withstand their weight! There is a time for preparation and a time for fighting, prepare now and you will know how to fight when the time comes!"_

Here he learned about survival, as a creature and not as a man, the forest was too dangerous to wander singing camping songs and gather berries, everything was about stealth, energy, power to think fast and act even faster.

Harry let his limbs give another long swim and he felt once again the water fully close above him, he needed the privacy of the water for his moments of thought, Firenze didn't gave him this luxury during the day…

As usual, his mind returned in a one day long loop to his most important thought.

… she was the only missing element here. Everywhere he looked he spoted her absence. The life in the forest was almost perfect, it could have been completely, entirely and utterly perfect if a certain girl with cinnamon perfume and deep chocolate eyes would have been here… but she wasn't…

_She doesn't need you, she needs a safe person… not a death warrant…_

He kept telling this over and over, but there were moments in the few hours of night when it just wasn't enough… Harry Potter hated himself for that moment when he decided to become the cosmic looser of all galaxies and stop a well deserved kiss with Hermione Granger…

_Yup… cosmic… freakin cosmic…_

Through his now unfazed dreams her face was the only one he could discern. Night after night her voice, memories from past adventures or just simple things they got to do together at Hogwarts came to him like a constant taunt. But sometimes another voice, muffled and distorted, came in his sleep… a deep poisonous voice always mumbling plans and asking things from Merlin knows who… A fear of an unthinkable possibility started to grow in Harry Potter's chest.

Firenze watched his student dive into the canal and take lazy swims before diving again. He wasn't sure if the young man perceived the amount of time he stood immersed, more than twenty minutes were enough to set a new world record…

There was a lot going on with this young man, he could have been mistaken for a boy at the entrance of the forest, but this Harry Potter had few things in common with his former self.

This were Harry's private moments, diving into the water, preparing for the day and thinking about his problems. It was something Firenze accepted because he could see a bit of himself in Harry Potter, someone troubled with problems beyond his power, with fewer friends than he deserved and so many things he had to do against his free will.

The malice was still caged, at night Firenze sensed fractions of Voldemort's mind's waves trying to breach into the valley, but the amount entering was insignificant for the young man's safety.

_At least he can think easier…_

Today Firenze was preparing something special, actually every day he had to prepare something special because Harry's condition was totally different of what the centaur expected, the boy entered the forest as an undeveloped teenager who obviously hadn't had enough food and worked too hard at a too early age, but things changed. Harry became a symbiote of this forest drawing energy and peace, what the centaur thought at first will only clear the boy's troubled mind started later to act on his body, healing wounds and feeling gaps in the boy's development.

The centaur started to think not even Dumbledore knew to what extent Harry Potter was special because this transformation suggested only one simple but very complicate matter in the same time. The boy finnaly rested half submerged with eyes still closed.

"Good morning Harry Potter, have the dreams troubled you last night?"

The boy jumped from the water with the force of a tensed spring and landed securely on both his feet. His well toned muscles were sneaking around his limbs like old vines, the boy stood nude letting the sun dry his skin and stretched his arms and neck.

There was a certain loss of inhibition in his student's behavior making him as raw as Mother Nature.

"Good morning sir, I… had a few glimpses of dreams last night but nothing clear." Harry spoke with a practiced ease, but closed his eyes for a moment to wash away the sense of dread. He didn't told Firenze what he really dreamed about, the centaur guessed, but Harry never gave to many details.

Firenze watched the boy drilling into his eyes and then smiled… that wasn't a good sign,

"Good, today I have a gift for you, something you'll have to wear from now on for as long as needed until you'll not acknowledge its existence anymore."

Harry looked confused at a brown package made of thin tree bark.

"Thank you sir!" Harry reluctantly extended his hand to grab the package disliking his trainer's smile more and more.

Firenze gave a chuckle,

"Harry Potter… you are very welcomed!" and then dropped the package into the unexpecting hands of the wizard.

Two things happened at once, Firenze's deep voice broke into a deafening laughter and Harry almost lost his balance with the package in his hands.

Harry recovered quickly and carefully placed the package down.

_I guess I should've expected this… his a friend of Hagrid after all…_

The centaur recovered quickly,

"You can open it… there is nothing dangerous, just heavy."

Harry slowly opened the package to find a few bands, a pair of fingerless gloves long enough to cover his hands up to his elbows and wide belt. All this accessories had nothing special about them except their weight. The fabric seemed to be natural but non-recognizable and the color was a faint green. Through it Harry felt small blocks of metal or stone linked together with strings of wire. The outer fabric was sewn with black thread in a cross pattern and as his wand holster (which was still attached to his arm), it had a noble feeling. It was worn, but nice and familiar.

The young wizard looked at the centaur quizzical. Firenze smiled again.

_Twice in the same day… that can't be good…_

"This Harry Potter will be your second skin. You will wear them day and night with no breaks."

"But sir, what are these?"

Firenze took the gloves,

"These are weights, a simple method to develop strength and something else… very desired in your magical fights…"

Harry looked again at his present, _weights… wear them all the time and of course… you get used to them… then take them off and …_

"Speed… you gain speed…" Harry couldn't help a smile at his deduction.

"Precisely Harry Potter, here you have more than eighty kilograms to wear while you fight, train, swim and sleep , with no exceptions."

Slowly and with a lot of help from Firenze, Harry slipped the gloves on his hands. The bands were placed on his ankles and then the belt was put on. As Firenze stepped back, Harry tried to walk only to find his legs pinned down and his feet slightly buried in the wet dirt. He glanced again towards the centaur, but this time he couldn't find any trace of amusement on his mentor's face.

The centaur turned around,

"Follow me Harry Potter, you need to warm up."

The centaur left at a slow run leaving Harry with his jaw dropped. He wear the weights for a minute and he could already feel the perspiration running on his back. He was ready to refuse, but as always in the last few days, the image of his murdered friend, of his dead parents and most of all of her… made him grit his teeth and grunt with effort,

_You can do it, Harry!_

Slowly he lifted his foot placing it forward and then the other one and the other one concentrating his mind to overcome the feeling of tiredness. With hands slightly raised for balance and thumping like an elephant Harry focused every ounce of power to keep his pace steady.

After half an hour of panting like a train and leaving a trail of small wholes wherever his feet struck, Harry finally saw Firenze waiting for him in the shade of a old walnut.

Half dragging, half falling through his last paces he fell next to the centaur heavily gasping for air. His muscles felt like mashed potatoes and his lungs burnt like dragon made nest between them. He couldn't tell what his heart rate was but the sudden image of a cracking display came to his mind.

"Are you tired Harry Potter?"

Firenze had a too concerned tone. He didn't asked once if he was tired in his first days when he had to carry from the edge of the forest heavy logs for the hut feeling every time he will just brake in half under the weight.

"Sir…" Harry swallowed hard and felt his throat coated with sandpaper "Could we stop for a brake… these things are really heavy."

Almost instantly he was eyed with the coldest look Firenze had… the centaur started to slowly walk around Harry who know stood on his back breathing steady, but hard.

"Tell me Mister Potter…" Firenze's tone had a bit of McGonogall and Snape- deathly combination,

"Do you think Voldemort takes brakes when he kills innocent muggles, muggleborn wizards and plans to destroy our worlds?"

"No sir… does not…" Harry gritted his teeth, a cold wave of anger slipped through his veins for the first time since his arrival in the valley.

"Tell me Mister Potter, do you think Voldemort took brakes between killing your father and your mother?"

That was a low blow…

This was the first time Firenze used such a sneer while talking to him… almost instantly the centaur watched his pupil rise on his feet with closed fists and a stone look. Thick veins became visible on his throat and his eyes glimmered for a second in a velvety shade.

_He needs more… he must be determined if he wants to survive… let's see if he has a weak spot…_

"Tell me Harry Potter," This time the centaur's voice was lower than a growl. „do you think Voldemort will take brakes when he will kill her?"

Silence.

Then a humm disturbed the grounds making flocks of bird fly away towards the school grounds.

Then vibrations.

And a powerful gust of wind ruffled Harry's wild hair.

This second wave of anger brought something familiar in Harry, his second voice always speaking half a second later,

"He will die before he ever get's his hands on her."

Firenze watched a glimpse of Harry's unknown anger slip through his eyes and then return in the back of his mind under the calming power of the valley.

_So… there is a "she" involved… typical…_

"Then you shall not take breaks Harry Potter, you will work like a slave, day and night trying to get better! I don't care if you're feet will stay behind in some hole or you're hands will fell of… the wand is not everything! Magic is not everything! "

The centaur was shouting like a general in army and Harry let every word pour in his heart. The passion in his mentor's voice helped him calm and remember way was he there.

"You need to be stronger if you want to cast faster, hex powerful and LIVE LONGER! You survived with help, luck and a lot of instinct always counting on a miraculous work of magic. Magic is might, they say… I SAY MAGIC IS ADDICTING ! in the most noxious way! I give you the chance to choose when to use it or not, always to protect your loved one…

Harry felt his weights half lighter, his mentor was right, he had to do whatever was possible or die trying, this wasn't a stupid pep up talk, this were words from the heart, born from experience.

He didn't cared how Firenze found about her… she was in danger because of him afterall.

"You're right sir!" Harry's voice was again clear and the centaur felt his purpose achieved.

"Until the sun goes down I want you to swim the canal and each three laps I want you to dive for as much as you can under the water."

Harry's look didn't change, with hard thumps he broke in the fastest run he could up to the canal and right in it.

The second he broke the surface he knew this will be hard, with all the extra weight on, his body plunged like a rocket and he stopped buried in the soft sand on the bottom knee deep. With supreme effort he pulled one of his legs up and then his other one. Harry surfaced once again panting and spiting water. He could barely stay floating, but his decision was made, like running he slowly moved trying to keep the rhythm. It was going to be a long swim and the sun was just middle sky.

Firenze watched his student dive and stay under water, he knew this is going to happen, but Harry needed to learn to think before taking actions, he was too used to act on instinct and born reflex and once again all the fault was Dumbledore's…

After two weeks here, he could barely say the boy was close to what he had to become for withstanding the real fights he was destined to fight… Harry Potter was a powerful wizard and his magic was strong… but powerful magic in an untrained body meant a guaranteed faint every time he tapped into it.

He was still surprised by Harry's reactions. He got angry at hearing about his parents, but that was second place compared with the murderous look he got hearing about his love for a girl…

_She must be quite something… but he needs her… he needs an active relation with whomever she is… a man is a man through his actions, but also through his love life."_

The boy came up coughing and panting hard but it was clear he wasn't going to give up whatsoever. The determination in the wizards eyes was so refreshing, through him the centaur watched a long forgotten image of himself in days when he had a love just like Harry's, someone who gave him strength only through her existence, but then she died and he sunk into the forest trying to regain that level of kindness and humanity he once had…

_That's the problem with the part humans… the balance between the man and the beast is too delicate…_

But Harry Potter was something else, Harry Potter had the potential and the power to become a great wizard if he had something to fight for… or the opposite if everything that counted for him disappeared.

Firenze sighed and turned towards the wallnut, the dawn was near and some trees had many things to say.

Every breath was hotter, every swing of arm or leg was harsher but something felt right. Harry battled his way through the cold water of the canal for his third lap. He wasn't sure how he got there but somewhere at the middle of his first lap he lost the track of time, with his mind centered at the only person he truly missed here he swam and swam without noticing the growing pain in his chest or limbs.

Another swing and his vision narrowed…

_That's not good…_

He was almost there, just a few meters away, just a few seconds and he will rest on the shore but he couldn't make it, with a short breath he felt his body go down and he closed his eyes… Firenze wasn't there, he didn't had time to ask for help, and by the time his absence will be noticed it will be too late…

He hit the bottom of the water hard and the last gulp of air escaped his lungs, but his conscience was still on, critical but still there. Tere was only a chance to escape this alive, but very thin and highly improbable…

_A charm… the bubble head… no you idiot she told you charms need more finesse and focus… something else, fast… of course a hex, a blasting hex… the reductor… ._

The pain in his chest was starting to climb to his head, Harry closed his eyes in focus and pushed his hands down,

_I love you!_ A long forgotten voice reached his ears for a second,

"Reducto!" Shouting with all his remaining focus Harry felt his body jerk in a huge splash of water. His body arched through the air like an arrow and then hit solid ground. His head bumped on a rock but he was alive. He did it! Feeling the air rushing through his lungs again he let his mind finally drift away losing consciousness.

Firenze felt the wave before it broke the silence of the woods, the vibrations were so powerful the thick logs started to crack under the pressure. The door was blown away just in time for the centaur to see Harry Potter's body launch from the depths of the canal more than five meters up and then fall on the ground. For a second he thought he saw someone else, but he couldn't wait to memorize details.

He broke in gallop towards his pupil and reached him in a few seconds. Firenze let a sigh of relief seeing the young man's chest rise and fall steadily. His student was exhausted, but that wave of energy was powerful enough to blast a mountain, the centaur lifted him slowly wearing a proud smile, the effects of his training were begging to show off.

**NOTE: So... ? Good or rubbish? Write a review and tell me, also tell me what would you like to change or add to my fic. Thank you.**


	9. Chapter IX

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

NOTE: I would like to make all of this faster, but I want to make the whole action real and for that I can't rush it. Don't worry about the two love birds, they will have a lot of time together when the time comes.

**Enjoy and please review, I am open to suggestions and critics.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Revelations-**

First, there was a warmth sensation running through his body. It burst from his chest and then spread until it reached the tip of his fingers and toes. He couldn't think clearly yet, there was a lot of reflex in the process, but his body seemed to run fine on that for the moment.

All senses were numb, a constant crackling bothered his ears and his eyelids felt like casted in lead.

_Hermione… Where are you?_

Then his mind unlocked like a password was said and everything came back in a rush. Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron, Firenze… and her, the one who made him alert… Hermione Jane Granger.

"Don't fight it, let your body restart itself!"

That was a friendly voice, familiar… but strong… Firenze.

He slowly opened his eyes, thankful to be greeted by the kind light of the moon. The source of the crackling was a fire made with pine branches. The powerful smell of resin was refreshing like a good mint drop and Harry took long breaths feeling his head lighter and clearer. He was resting on the soft grass of the forest a few meters away from the cottage. The centaur stood on the other side of the fire holding two cups in his hands. Firenze sported his everlasting stern face, but a deep frown was spread across his forehead.

Firenze handed the young wizard one of the cups,

"Drink young wizard… you earned it!"

Harry took the cup reluctantly and brought it to his nose. The smell was powerful like a good amount of alcohol was pourred in it, but he couldn't say it was some drink he met before…

The centaur raised his cup for a second and drank with thirst.

"To your health Harry Potter!"

That was strange… it was the first time Harry had the feeling Firenze was making some kind of exception from whatever rules he usually followed.

Hoping he won't snort half of it through his nose Harry flipped the cup in his mouth and swallowed fast. There was no blast of fire in his mouth, and no taste, it was pure water.

Harry swallowed once again before a sudden noise coming from the centaur startled him. It almost sounded like a chuckle and Firenze was indeed smiling from one ear to the other holding his cup empty.

Harry felt like he was on the bad side of a not so funny joke and his temper flickered for a moment before he calmed.

He opened his mouth to ask, but Firenze's sudden pause stopped him. The centaur focused towards the fire with a rather gloomy look.

"You almost died for a second Harry… "

Harry rested on his elbows arching his back for a moment before the memories came back. It was the first time he was almost unimpressed with a statement he heard quite often in the last few years. Probably the circumstances made the whole thing so mundane, but otherwise… He did it! … he performed wandless, silent and powerful magic… maybe not that silent.

_But... how?_

„As you will probably discover, the training has some other effects... one of them is the power to overcome the need for tools to use something which is strictly tied to your person..."

Harry watched the centaur speak in his usual tutorish tone, he felt much better, his senses were up and running, his mind was clear and his temper was kept in control. After so many death encounters, one more attempt was so... overdue.

Firenze watched his student drift in thoughts for a second, it was getting harder and harder to keep the facts from him. Watching the young wizard pass a few inches away from death was disturbing at the least, especially when he could have died with no clue about the real reasons...

His train of thoughts was suddenly broken by the most inevitable question he ever predicted.

„Sir, how is it possible?"

Harry Potter was standing with his feet crossed looking more of a child than ever. It was one of the often moments when the Boy-Who-Lived seemed to return to an older self- the young boy who had no clue of The Order's plans.

Firenze drilled his pupil's eyes hoping his cold stare would end the talk before it started, but the boy didn't flinched or shade his eyes. There was a certain door opened in the young wizard's eyes, a door towards suspicions and shards of clues were floating in his mind. The problem was that whichever way he would put everything in the puzzle back the answer wasn't nice at all.

„Sir, how come I've developed so much in a few weeks? How come I have the power of a bear and I can stay under the water more than a fish?"

And so the dam of questions was broken and Firenze felt he was caught off guard... Harry Potter finally tore the web of miss leadings and small lies Dumbledore and others createed around him since before his birth.

„The truth sir... I want the truth..."

Firenze smiled and silently prayed to the stars he wasn't making a grave mistake.

„I know you want the truth Harry Potter... you've been lied your whole life, and your right to ask for it.

The centaur took a deep breath before locking his eyes with Harry's letting no question about the truth of his words.

„When your headmaster came to see me, he told me where to take you and what to tell you... He knew you will be asking questions, but the truth had to remain hidden from you..."

Harry approached the fire furthermore, for a few moments, he thought he saw a battle from a long time ago developing through his mentor's eyes.

„But why? Why do I have to be kept in the dark? I always find myself in front of Voldemort and there is always for a reason I don't know..."

„Indeed Harry Potter, this is why I decided to overrule Dumbledore's orders... I believe he tries to protect you from something he cannot and by doing that, he makes you vulnerable in front of the dark side of the magical world.

Albus Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard the world got to know, but as a powerful person he has ups and downs in his character... one of his downs is that he tends to underestimate other people like you... or me."

Harry looked at his mentor inquisitively,

„Dumbledore told me to keep you here, safe... to teach you how to survive in the woods and to keep you calm... he didn't tell me why and he never thought I could find out on myself. Of course, if any other centaur would have been in my place, his plan would have worked, but... as yourself, I am a bit special..."

In a sudden change of tone, the centaur somehow leaned towards his pupil. He spoke softly through his barely parted lips making impossible for anyone standing more than a few feet away to discern his words.

„What do you know about your scar?"

In reflex, Harry touched the rugged skin on his forehead, the scar... the curse of his life,

„ It's a dark scar I got from the curse Voldemort tried to kill me."

„And also it's a link between you and him... a way for you to look into his mind or vice versa. But... the real problem is your temper, because there is much more about it."

For some reason Harry felt he had to explain his actions, but the truth was he didn't knew much either...

„Since I woke up from the tournament... ''

Firenze smiled knowingly,

„I fought with Voldemort, there was something he said..."

There were just pieces of what Harry hoped would be enough and lucky for him Firenze didn't need much.

„Of course he said... and this time he may have told you the truth... and that will be his greatest mistake."

With no objection from his student, Firenze continued softly. The centaur knew only one right way to bring bad news to a tortured soul and that meant no lies, only the truth.

„During your last encounter with Voldemort, your foe attached to your soul a shard of his, a piece of his mind totally independent from him who tries every time you become enraged to posses your mind"

That was it! He said it and there was no turning back... from now on, Harry Potter was freed from any lies The Order of The Phoenix and Dumbledore could have designed to keep things from him.

The silence became heavier, but the sudden burst of rage didn't happened. Harry Potter was still there in front of the fire, holding his hands relaxed and watching the last remainings of pine disappear.

Firenze examined his student with worried eyes, but the wizard was calm and the entity was caged deeper than usual. The young wizard sighed and for a moment, the centaur watched Harry Potter aging and sighing again.

_I hope__you willsee__one day Dumbledore... see what's the result of your plans... only you could have aged a spirit faster than time itself..._

„Why Voldemort killed my parents? Why has he been following me, always trying to get me?"

There wasn't fear, nor angriness... just pure curiosity. Instead of a frightened soul, Harry Potter was a tired, resigned man forcing his mind to hop over hundreds of obstacles in front of the truth.

„I don't have all the answers Harry, and there are things about you that I probably won't live to discover..." the young wizard's shoulders slumped for a moment in disappointment „but some things are better known in the forest than outside," Harry raised his eyes to looking at his mentor with renewed hope,

"The day your parents died I was patrolling at the boundaries of my tribes land, watching the acromantulas prepare for hibernation. There was a certain noise all over the forest like the sun was coming up earlier than usual."

Harry listened the centaur telling a story from a time at the reach of his memories but only an inch too far. All his life felt like the moment he became an orphan was more important than anything, but his memory refused to cooperate.

"I believe there were just a few hours before dawn when a rat crossed my path. I felt him coming before he smelled me and I knew almost instantly it was something else under the skin. The rat ran like a wild cat was tied on his tail and he almost fell in the web trap of an acromantula. The spider struck a second too early and before you could blink an eye the rat transformed into a short man clothed in dirty robes and waving a rickety wand."

"Wormtail"... Through Harry's teeth, the nickname sounded more like a curse. The centaur noticed the hatred spark in Harry's eyes,

"The dark curse used by the stranger made me take action. We... the centaurs often let strangers pass near our border and sometimes even protected a few, but this stranger had the air of an escaped convict and that could have meant some others wizards could come searching for him... My people doesn't like the attention of the wizarding world and I was ready to do whatever it takes to avoid that."

_If only you would have..._

"Before he knew what to do, I splinched the tip of his wand and pinned him down. There wasn't much to discern from him, to say he was scared it would be an understatement, he mumbled madly and asked to be spared and the only thing I understood was your name and something about a prophecy.

I cannot say for sure, but from him and some other rumours I heard through the forest I can say that next time you wake from the dead and meet with Dumbledore... you should ask him about a prophecy which concernes yourself."

Firenze stopped. He was about to witness a thing that very few could ever see, Harry Potter sighed deeply with his eyes tightly closed and a tear formed at the bottom of his right eye. It took a few seconds before the little drop fell under its weight and then slowly disappeared on the young wizard's cheek leaving a shiny trace.

"or maybe not..."

He was shaken, but the will in his voice was enough for the centaur to pity any foe who would try to deceive his student. The moon was up high and the forest was eerie silent. Firenze walked towards the first row of trees gathering a few dead branches and threw them on the last ambers. Little flames started to rise lighting the face of his student. With his pitch black hair passing his shoulders Harry slowly rocked on spot, still cross-legged.

"Thank you sir... apart my best friends... you are the first to ever tell me the truth. It's much easier than I thought it would be... to find the reasons, but I guess there are a few things that still need to be discovered."

Firenze smiled kindly before he took a bottle wrapped in leather and poured two more cups for him and Harry.

"I am an honourable centaur in spite of my reputation and I prize certain things more than Dumbledore's opinion... or disagreement."

Seeing his student oblivious, Firenze continued,

"Things like the friendship you showed me... I am your friend Harry Potter, more than your teacher... I am your friend and ally and I hope I will teach you enough for you to not repeat my mistakes."

The centaur felt a barrier crush the moment Harry's face broke in a wide smile. There was no need for spoken words, actions spoke for themselves, the two knocked their cups and drank the fresh liquid.

Harry drank easily, feeling a heavy weight lifted of his soul, at least now he had clues, he knew what could have made Voldemort wish his death... now he could fight back.

"Sir... you still haven't told me about this..." Harry pointed towards his now empty cup.

Firenze finished his cup and placed it slowly on the ground.

"I believe we are well passed over this Sir part, Harry... are you sure you are up to any more revelations this fine night?"

The centaur seemed amused, but his voice told Harry he would continue to tell him the truth no matter what would he ask.

"I've waited my whole life to hear the truth, I'm ready."

The centaur looked pleased with Harry's reactions so far, the young wizard looked towards the cup acting once again under the influence of a very smart and beautiful girl friend,

„Tell me Harry, when was the last time you ate?" Firenze asked ammused watching the young wizard who now stood utterly confused.

„I...I'm not sure, maybe yesterday, or... no, the day before..."

„No Harry, the truth is you haven't eaten a crumb of solid food since you came in this valley and that I'm affraid is because of me. Don't worry, I'm not trying to starve you, but a drop of this fine drink in your daily watter has been enough. This," The centaur raised a small watter pouch, „Is a unique water which can only be found here and through millenias no human being was able to drink it without being instantly killed."

Harry's eyes gre bigger in wonder,

„That means I'm not a human being?"

Firenze chuckled softly,

"Well thought Harry! You are part human, just like me."

For a moment, the centaur watched his student suppress a smile and probably laughter, but The-Boy-Who-Lived had quite a vast experience with the unbelievable and so his face became neutral once again.

"Harry, it doesn't mean you are any more different than you were last month or last year... unlike me or a veela, your powers seem to have been latent until now."

"Sorry for not being too happy about this Firenze, but being special in another way it's just what i didn't need right now." Firenze smiled kindly and stretched his hooves,

"See the bright side of this transformation Harry Potter... you are neither a vampire or a merpeople and being strong and in tune with nature has never hurt nobody. My training will help you at least control this newfound strenght and don't forget a second about that little problem on your soul."

The centaur pointed towards Harry's heart,

"I would like to tell you what you really are, if that matters so much, but is not that easy... the forest calmed you in the instant you set foot and since then you kept growing and developing. You can bear weights which could kneel a bear and a fish comes more often than yourself for air. Trees bend towards you and grass humms in your pressence."

Harry listened carefully hoping the answer will come as naturally as the explanation, but Firenze sipped from his refilled cup looking towards the fire as if he had forgot what they were talking about.

"Then tell me Firenze... no riddles, just tell me!"

The centaur sighed and met his friend's eyes.

"The answer is simple Harry... I don't know... you are creature of the forest, at least of that I'm sure, but nothing else comes to my mind."

* * *

><p>"Come, Victor is waiting for you in the on the quidditch field!"<p>

The shaggy dog watched Jane Granger call her daughter who once again was lost in a heavy book. The young lady sighed obviously ignoring her mother. Hermione stood in a loveseat with her feet tucked under. Her brown hair fell in ringlets almost reaching the small of her back, she was dressed casually in jeans and a red jacket being obviously cold.

Letting a muffled whimper escape, the old dog approached the seat and gently touched his nose on the girl's hand. Hermione placed a hand on the his head whispering slightly annoyed,

„I know Paddy... I know..."

She was bored for some time and Paddfoot could have bet the young Gryffindor would have left Bulgaria on a broomstick if it wasn't for her parents and The Order. He hoped he would get to see her going as soon as possible back where she belonged, at Hogwarts, near Harry.

In the first week spent with his new „owner", he was surprised to see how much the Grangers liked Victor, they seemed to constantly try to push Hermione towards the „fine, young and powerful wizard".

Hermione closed the tome loudly before walking towards the door. In the last moment, she stopped and turned towards her backpack, which stood on a hanger on the opposite wall. The old muggle style backpack seemed to be a constant annoyance for the Krums and Hermione insisted to carry it all the time.

The young witch picked the strange backpack and opened it to retrieve a little picture. From his spot behind the loveseat, the dog watched the young lady sigh as her knuckles became white from strain. She was crushing the small frame under her fingers like in a futile attempt to touch the person caught in the photo.

It was breath taking to see the witch drill with her liquid chocolate eyes into the small picture.

Distant sounds could be heard from behind the door and a few times someone called for her, but the girl seemed hypnotised as she watched the small photo, which fitted, perfectly in her delicate hands.

Paddfoot kept his ears sharp for any noise. Harry's last words were perfectly engraved in his mind, always coming back whenever he became distracted.

With one last sigh, the young lady slowly caressed the surface of the picture and than carefully packed it back. In a fluid motion she hang the backpack on her right shoulder and walked out the door leaving it open for a certain animagus.

Hermione's room was at the base of a small guest house. The Krum Residence was situated somewhere in the Ruse region, near the Romanian border. In spite of her questions, Hermione couldn't find more about it, everyone keeping a very strict silent code about the exact location.

The mansion had a medieval feeling, it was built as a stronghold at the base of a large valley crossed by a small river. It was a three stories high brick walls building, with rectangular shape and flat roofs. A thick net of ivy covered the building almost entirely making it blend with the large forest from the southern border. The whole structure was protected by a thick wall made of rocks which was clearly older than the building itself. The safe yard was large enough to hold an almost 1:1 replica of the Quidditch arena from the World Cup and an enclosed harbour for the family's ship.

Hermione felt constricted under the tall rock wall. It was more than five times her height and aside a few hours in middle day even the sun had trouble to send his light beyond it making the whole yard feel cold and musky.

She slowly watched the sun pass the western wall leaving the yard closed in shadow. In spite of her girlfriend status, the servants were always cold and repulsive making her try to avoid any unnecessary contact. Padfoot was near and the walk towards the pitch felt much safer. The white canvas covering the pitch was a welcomed contrast and felt like a beacon in the night, her pace quickened and moments later, she could hear her mother cheering Victor who flew almost thirty meters high towards the left hooks.

Victor Krum... Hermione felt more tired after every encounter with her so called boyfriend who after so many weeks, still couldn't spell her name right. She only saw his parents at dinner and on special occasions. Both had a very thin look, which gave Hermione a constant headache after, when she tried to picture their faces. They spoke very light and only in Bulgarian with their sons. Vladimir, Victor's brother was maybe one or two years older. He was as brunette as his brother, with brown eyes and thin lips. Vladimir had the same aquiline nose as his brother making him resemble a bald eagle with his short cut hair. Trying to avoid him was absurd, if the parents were almost impossible to find, he seemed to always be near Hermione doing something, always discreetly eyeing the girl... but not discreetly enough.

„Ah, dear we waited for you for almost a half an hour, you missed Victor's brake." Jane Granger spoke in a light tone, but with an obvious pang of reproach. It seemed that whatever Hermione missed or didn't do about Victor was important.

„I'm sorry mum, I came as fast as I could... I'm sure I didn't lost a lot, he's exactly where I've left him yesterday."

Hermione's irony was sharp enough and Jane's jaw clenched instantly. Her smile was forced and her eyes were concentrated on something on the opposite side of the field.

„Where's dad? I haven't seen him since..."

Hermione sat on bench at the bottom of the field, pretending to watch Victor. The Bulgarian seeker trained alone trying to catch his twentieth snitch.

„His with Victor's dad, Mr. Krum wants to show your father the sights." Jane had an uneasy tone, which didn't slip her daughter.

„But why can't I see the sights? Why do I have to seat here all day? I had enough with Quidditch and Bulgaria and Vi..." she almost sad it but the stone cold eyes of her mother stopped her. „vicious cold...".

Jane sat near her daughter taking her hand between hers.

„I've told you dear, Mr. Dumbledore told you also, you must stay here and avoid going beyond the walls under any circumstances."

She was caressing her daughter's hand trying to make it wormer, but with every second, her caress became rougher.

„But I've had it mum... I hate this place and Victor and I... there is no future in that..." she made a pause and swallowed hard, but the words didn't came out right „I... Harry's birthday... , I want to go..."

For moment, Hermione ignored her intuition trying to be sincere, but her mother almost crushed her hand making her wince in pain.

„That's enough Hermione! You and Victor are perfect and this place is perfect and most important- Safe!" Jane Granger spoke in a very cold, but hushed tone.

„I know what you want, but this is not going happen. This is all his fault, you are in this situation because of him."

Hermione couldn't believe the way her mother acted. She was cold and angry as she spoke about Harry, blaming him for everything. For a moment, Hermione wandered if this was the way Harry was seen by his muggle relatives.

„I don't care what you feel about that boy... he is trouble and you don't need that. You need to have a proper education and be surrounded by safe people."

Hermione was a smart girl, she always knew that and she always paid the price for it, but not this time . With her fists closed and her face flushed with anger, Hermione smiled as kindly as she could and rose from her seat.

„I'm going to my room mum. See you later...

She slowly walked towards the exist, waved in the most visible way towards Victor and then exited the pitch. The cool wind outside and the evening sky concealed her face enough to for the girl to let some tears escape.

Two paces further and the black dog joined the young witch. While she walked towards the mansion the girl smiled wicked and ruffled his long hair.

„I hope you packed light Paddy..."

**Note: I was glad to see the last reviews and I hope you'll like this chapter also enough to write some new ones. I know there are more grammar mistakes than usual, but I just couldn't wait to have it beta by someone. I noticed there are a lot of people who criticize my grammar, but are not signed in so I can't see their work... that's starting to annoy me... anyway, I hope it's readable.**

**Please read and review.**


	10. Chapter X

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

NOTE: Thank you all for reviews. I hope you like the story.

**Enjoy and please review, I am open to suggestions and critics.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Edelweiss-**

Life in The Valley of The Ents took a turn for the best. Every day after their late night talk passed a lot faster being able to fully trust his teacher and Firenze's change in attitude was welcomed. The stern and ever so sever centaur was now open to long talks about the forest or his past. In such moments Harry found about Firenze's leader of the centaurs days, but there was a gap in time Harry couldn't brake… there was a particular time Firenze always went around it and the young wizard chose to let the centaur tell him what was about when he felt ready.

Harry's weights seemed to get lighter every day and he could now work around the state of tiredness becoming stronger every day. The training was still physical, but every now and then Firenze would pull him from his training for a fast session of archery or kata.

He was still devoid of his wand, but the unsecure feeling was no more. Harry's mind was now the safest place he could retreat and in spite of Voldemort's malice he could now meditate deeply.

The third morning after their talk Harry awoke almost startled with the uncommon silence. Unlike other mornings when Firenze would make a racket around the hut preparing Merlin knows what challenge for the day, this time even the birds seemed quiet. Dreading something bad happened, Harry almost jerked the door from its hinges and swiftly strode around the hut only brushing the dirt with his feet. But there was no danger, Firenze stood calm under his favourite walnut .

"Good morning Harry Potter, I see you can wake in time without my horn… I will remember that! " The centaur stood as usual geared and ready for the day.

Harry couldn't help it,

"So, no boulders? No logs? Firenze are you going to spoil me today?"

It was much easier to joke with someone who actually answered the joke. The centaur smiled broadly and took his bow to tense the string.

"Well… you might call it like that, but things are a bit different. I have to leave the valley for a few days Harry."

Harry wasn't sure if he liked the idea, but as usual, every action of Firenze had a purpose.

"Your staying here is closing to an end and unlike your headmaster I'm not very keen to let you go back uninformed. I will be gone for a few days, probably until the end of the week gathering some much needed intel… until then you must behave."

Once in a while, Firenze felt the need to give his student a warning. Harry Potter was a powerful wizard with many layers of secrets under his skin, but he was still a teenager.

Harry couldn't stop a chuckle at his mentor's warning feeling like his younger self under McGonagall's scrutiny.

"Don't worry Firenze, It's not like I could organize wild parties around here."

Harry's childish demeanour was broken by the centaur's stare.

"I'm serious Harry, you must remain unheard and unseen to the most of the forest's inhabitants. You're allowed to hunt but try to keep the entrance in your sight and make as little noises as you can."

The young wizard listened his mentor carefully, but glad to finally be allowed a bit of freedom. The centaur gave him a final warning look and silently strode towards the tree line. In a moment, he was gone and reality fell over Harry. He was alone… in the middle of The Forbidden Forest…

For no reason he felt the need to speak loud and slowly went back towards the hut.

"Ok… … …"

For the first time he was forced to make real use of his new developed skills without Firenze's help. It was quite strange after weeks of nothing but training to have a lot of free time.

_I guess there is nothing wrong in a bit of sport every day._

His muscles itched with excitement and the young wizard waited no more. His mind was out disconnecting for a few hours of physical practice.

* * *

><p>For a few moments Dumbledore thought he should retrieve the boy before time was up. Sending him with Firenze was wise, but if it was worth it on long term he had many doubts. Firenze was an old friend, but maybe friend it was a word too big to describe their relation because the old centaur had no friends. There was a reason for sending Harry with him and that was the experience Firenze had in the Forbidden Forest as a free creature, but also as pariah, always in hiding.<p>

At the boundaries of the Hogwarts Land the forest felt much darker than from his window. In his youth Albus Dumbledore travelled many times in different parts of the world, but this old forest… older than some continents… was the only place he could say he walked in only if needed.

A wisp of wind disturbed the first row of trees a bit harder and almost instantly, the old wizard felt the delicate but firm disturbance in the school's wards. It was more of a knock at the door of his home and there could be only one creature.

The wizard lifted his right arm and then slowly placed it on an invisible wall right in front of him. The surface shimmered for a second just like a clear water disturbed by a falling leaf.

A few muffled words were spoken and a door with arch slowly opened a few feet away and through it Legolas Greenleaf paced. The elf was unchanged… Dumbledore had a feeling he won't get to see the powerful elf aging this life.

"A fine day to pay me a visit dear friend… but I'm afraid you are the worst news bringer I've ever known."

The elf didn't seem to understand the joke, but encouraged by the wizard's smile returned an answer.

"Indeed Albus, your human nature brings the worst out of me."

A silent walk on the lands ended on a bench and two eccentric men sat each looking troubled, but somehow hopeful.

"I will make a wild guess and say this is probably a favourite spot of your student…" the elf had a relaxed smile on his face but his eyes were as usual expressing hundreds of much more complex feelings.

Dumbledore stood with his fingers entwined watching the calm lake. He understood what was about this place Harry liked so much, it was as if the surface of the water absorbed every fear and uncertaintie.

"Yes… he comes often, I believe he came here last time after his meeting with the Order."

The old wizard couldn't suppress smile thinking back to his student ready to fight his best men.

"Why did you sent the boy with the pariah? " Legolas seemed to be just curious.

"I suspect there will be a time when Harry will have to leave his home, my friend… and Firenze is the best to teach him how to live in hiding."

The elf nodded still watching the clear sky.

"You're right about that Albus, but I believe you'll be quite surprised next time you meet Harry Potter. He was only a few hours into the forest and there were already a few moroi turned to pieces on his tracks. I know who has a bow and arrows, but I also know an arrow can't break a creature to crumbs."

Dumbledore remained silent, but the elf caught a muffled "that's my boy" .

"Is he safe? "

"He reached the valley, but I can't tell you more… he can sense me if I get too close…" .

Dumbledore looked surprised, but another discrete smile grew on his lips.

„The Order gave me no other option... They thought I'll be leaving Harry at Hogwarts, but in my long years of fighting against dark I learned as much as not to fully trust them. I lost Harry's parents because of a spy and belive it or not Legolas, I have the same feeling now... something is about to happen under my nose and I don't know if it is about Harry or someone else close to him."

The old wizard seemed to have suddenly aged and for a few moments a subtle tremble made his fingers twitch.

„Maybe I'm getting old... too old...

"I know Harry is your main concern, but there are more pressing matters Albus." The elf had a cold serious tone and for once seemed almost impatient.

"The forest has new occupants… the Black Riders."

As soon as he spoke Dumbledore produced his wand from thin air and wave it whispering,

"Silenzio Totalum"

A heavy silence fell on the lake and the surrounding grounds. This time Albus Dumbledore was plain alert. His neutral and sometimes dreamy appearance was replaced with the steeled look of very intelligent men. For anyone with sound ears his working mind was loud now.

"Unfortunately this complicates things… a lot. I always knew this will come also, but I hoped Tom will take a longer time to regain his former powers."

The elf nodded silently.

"The forest is a bothering place for this creatures, they never liked the tight spaces were force is beaten by agility."

Dumbledore shifted a bit towards Legolas. He once again had that curious look,

"There is something I always wondered… with the ring destroyed, what is it they feel? I know, the leader is gone and the most evil force becomes their master, but… what is their main asset… for what should we fear this wraiths… what's their secret power?"

Legolas watched probably the wisest wizard the modern world knew at work. In a matter of seconds and through simple arguments, Albus Dumbledore was trying to solve the problem. For a moment the elf stood serious before he broke in a clear laughter immune to the wizard's spell.

"It's nice to see even you don't have all the answers Albus." The elf's tone became again cold,

"Divide and conquer… this is the Nazgul's secret power. When they get in the presence of humans they can make friend turn against friend and son kill his father. Against one person, they make it relive all his worst moments in life, but if a Nazgul would ever set his foot in your school… there would be no need for Voldemort's army… "

Dumbledore's face was a sphinx replica, a certain unmerciful look in the old wizard's eyes grew and seemed to envelope his whole body.

* * *

><p><em>"The plan is closing to an end my lord." The same frightened voice he heard before…<em>

_"Bravo Vladimir… what about her companions?"_

_"The charm worked well, everything happened as Miss Lestrange said."_

_"Good… this time there's nothing to go wrong. I want the subject ready for relocation at my please. Until then… keep her oblivious and maybe… in the end… you'll get what's left of her."_

With a violent jerk, Harry Potter woke with both fists clenched. The young wizard punched the wall on his left. With a thump and a loud crack following, two halves of logs broke and fell from the wall outside making space for the morning light to enter.

This was another vision and the longest in the last weeks. Sighing deeply, Harry let himself fall back on his bead, whatever Voldemort planned it was the same thing, the same plan going every night.

He sat cross-legged and let his mind drift in meditation; he had to calm his mind for another day. First he broke from his train of thoughts. Slowly the strings of worries, ideas and plans formed and separated and then every little memory broke from him like a petal and flew away until it remained only a spark. Stripped of his layers, Harry Potter remained light, a white spark in a world where everything was at his reach, but without the power to control him.

It was his second time he reached this maximum level of concentration and this time he wasn't surprised anymore. Looking around he let his spark form model legs and arms and the rest of his body until Harry Potter appeared. The floor of his Universe was soft moss and every now and then lovely roses appeared marking memories tied together. A nearby river ended in a crushing waterfall carrying his thoughts from a distant mountain towards nothingness.

Beautiful phoenixes flew up in the skies chanting different songs which filled the wizard with both pain and love. Every step helped him learn, every time he turned his head towards some other flower or bird Harry felt his meditation deepen up to a point where he wondered if he could find his way back.

And then he saw it… on the furthest point of his universe, on the highest mountain, encircled with spiky rocks like an egg in the eagle's nest stood an edelweiss. In the moment he saw the white flower he knew what was it and Harry Potter turned again into a white spark. The journey to his mountain felt like a year passing in less than a second and as soon as the young wizard stepped on the rocks the mountain became flat as a field with the white flower in the middle. A pace and a second one and a hundred more, but the flower was still in the middle and he was still on the edge, Harry felt his whole existence being attracted to it.

"Please, stay still!" But to no effect, his walk broke in a fast run but he was still on the edge. A few phoenixes flew above him and then straight towards the edelweiss.

_This is my Universe, I have to get help!_

"Fawkes! Are you here?" As soon as Harry called, the blue sky broke in half and from the rupture, a beautiful red bird bolted towards the ground. All the other phoenixes scattered and with a loud crash followed by sparks, Fawkes landed at Harry's feet.

"Hey boy! I need your help here." The young wizard patted the majestic bird and Fawkes leaned with his head towards Harry's chest. The usual feeling of peace enveloped the wizard and before he could react, the bird rose into the air and dissapeared. For a moment it looked like Fawkes was gone, but then Harry felt long wings growing on his back which obviously belonged to his feathery friend.

In a swift motion the wizard flew towards the white flower. This time the flower was at his reach and Harry touched the delicate petals. Instantly the Universe disappeared, every memory about every little detail about Her filled his empty mind expanding until the wizard could identify his whole being with… Hermione.

_"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells myself and they've all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, it's the best school of witchcraft there is I've heard - I've learned all the course books by heart of course. I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"_

_"Me! Books! And cleverness! There are more important things-friendship and bravery and-oh Harry-be careful!"_

Every petal was another breathtaking memory he didn't even thought he had. New petals appeared each time one memory was spent and Harry Potter felt his heart twitch.

„And love, Mia... loving you..." Words escaped his mouth and the flower multiplied, first two, than four and then a whole field from his feat and up to the horizon separating every thought about Hermione in a milennia of memoryes.

His eyes were lost and his mind felt overwhelmed, but he felt the dark lord almost at instant... first the air became cold and wisps of wind broke the calm surface of the flower sea. Behind his back the light dimmed and Harry potter turned once again to meet his enemy.

„Funny thing love... Harry... so... prized by some... the fool ones if you ask me..."

Voldemort paced slowly towards him and then stopped smiling ironical,

„Well don't worry... it's not like I could hurt you here, or could I?"

Harry stood still and alert, ready to call again Fawkes to his aid, but he changed his mind. Of course, he could not...

_This is my world... he may be tied to it in some way, but he cannot break my spirit now, I'm too much in control._

Voldemort grinned again making Harry feel sick. There was a certain respect in his tone this time.

„I see the centaur thought you well... you seem to have grown a brain."

Harry decided to play the dark wizard's game,

„And a spine Tom... a straight spine... something you never had."

Voldemort's face twitched a little, but the dark wizard chuckled malevolent again.

„And yet I managed to kill your parents boy... exactly like I will kill her..." He nodded towards one of the edelweiss's near and lifted his scaly foot to crush the delicate flower.

Before his feet touch the edelweiss Harry Potter took control of his mind and for once, he felt secure.

„Incarcerous!"

With no wand, just a thunder instead of voice, the young wizard made a silver cage fell from the skies and stop only a few inches from the ground trapping Voldemort in it. The dark wizard remained stoned...

„You. Can't. Do. Anything... Tom!"

The young wizard was so powerfull it made the cage vibrate with each word.

„I know what you are, you pitiful shard... barely existing, hoping to do what your complete self never achieved..."

Harry watched the dark wizard closely searching for something... and that's exactly what he found. Voldemort's eyes glittered for a second with anger, but also frustration...

„How many times did he send you to do his mundane business? How many times you crawled through mud and contempt?" The dark wizard gritted his teeth and for the first time those lidless eyes avoided Harry's look.

„Don't underestimate me boy... I've seen and did things more terrible than death itself, you'll never rise to my greatness, neither you nor my other half." Through gritted teeth, Voldemort spat his anger while clenching the bars.

„And still... you're trapped here, into the deepest place of my mind where I swear you'll remain for the rest of my living days."

The young wizard stood before his enemy crushing him with his steeled eyes. Voldemort never thought he would be beaten at his own game, but here he was trapped in the boys mind and there was fair possibility to remain like this forever.

"But I still don't understand a thing… I always thought every person has a dark side and a good side… which one are you Tom?"

Voldemort reacted almost instantly pushing his hands through the bars in a useless attempt to catch Harry.

"There is no good in me you worthless fool! I don't need your filthy stories or kindness! I take what I want!" The dark wizard seemed to get angrier with every passing second and for a moment Harry questioned the strength of the cage.

Voldemort felt his mind cluttered with rage and frustration, but there was a new sensation – doubt.

"Maybe… but I think different and you will have enough time to see if I'm right or wrong." Harry turned to watch the field of edelweiss and the image of Hermione filled his head like an avalanche. A deep urge to shout her name and plunge in the field of flowers enveloped his mind making him feel fuzzy, but the shadow of the cage behind him was a constant reminder of a danger, not only to him, but also to her.

Voldemort almost flinched watching Harry Potter turn again towards him, the boy was now men and his eyes were two green flames.

"We will be talking again Tom… until then I'll give you deal… you can stay here, but you'll never be able to reach your other half . And I also give you a warning," This time the young wizard grabbed a bar with his right hand and the whole cage was enveloped in green hot flames.

"If you ever try to harm her… I will kill you… "

The whole Universe melted with only Harry and Voldemort remaining on a white floor. Voldemort watched his guardian return to Earth.

With a deep breath, Harry turned to his physical self. The sensation was strong, like he just did a dozen of loops on his Firebolt and a second of rest was needed. The air was again cold and the warm light of the morning was replaced with the eerie one of the moon.

**NOTE: The summer is almost finished... Loved it or not, please review and tell me.**


	11. Chapter XI

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

NOTE: Thank you all for reviews. I hope you like the story.

**Enjoy and please review, I am open to suggestions and critics.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-A furry mission-**

The map indicated this place. In spite of being outdated and clouded with tens of short notes, the crumpled piece of paper got him to Transylvania. A few questions here, a meeting with a local wizard there and he finally got the right indications. He almost broke in laughter when he found that the whole myth was just a misleading…. Everyone was looking in the wrong place.

At the end of a deep valley, going through the Meridional Carpathians, Remus stopped and sniffed the air. It was pure, much cleaner than anything he ever breathe, and the wolf within seemed to feel at large here. The forest was mostly deciduous and aside the large bear and wild cats population there were just a few foxes around, but nothing to close. The valley opened and he entered the large clearing cautious. The visibility was less than 50 meters, a deep fog inundating the forest and the river's shore.

During the daylight, this was one of the nicest sights in the country, but at night the forest became silent, no bear, wolf or lynx dared to come closer to the Citadel.

Remus felt a primal fear travelling his spine and beyond the fog, two human shapes darted. One broke to the left while the other broke to the right leaving him stunned. He knew the slightest movement could buy him a death ticket and so he waited on spot.

Two silhouettes enveloped in dark coats appeared behind him not long after and Remus felt the distinct burn of silver on the skin of his back.

"Parola!" (Password!)

"Cand luna plina e sus, licantii si varcolacii sunt frati!" (When the full moon is up high, the lycans and werewolves become brothers!)

The moon was up high indeed, but lucky for Remus Lupin it was the First Quarter Moon. The old citadel was built up high, away from curious eyes and that made it even more deceiving. In part, it was ruined, placed on the cliff's top for eight hundred years, the weather surely left traces, but what remained of the Poienari Citadel still traced to the old days when the wizards had a much powerful word to say in the fate of the world.

This country represented one of the last few remains of old power. There were many books naming this god-forsaken land, but none could give details, just hints about old forces even greater than magic, which still waited for a final burst.

1480 stone steps later, Remus found himself in front of the black gates with his two guardians lost on the way up. The stonewalls were old and brittle, but he could feel the power and tenacity of this place. After hundreds of years of fighting the nature and the enemies, the citadel concentrated large amounts of old power which neutralized common witchcraft. That is why he was suited for the job…

He could feel them walking swiftly beyond the walls and gates, human silhouettes, but with nothing human beyond their appearance. The magical world had knowledge about them, but Remus knew better, this was probably the most secret and deceiving coven around the world. Cold shivers ran his back and every instinct, both human and animal told him to leave, but his task was old and he postponed it for too much.

The gates opened without noise and a fluorescent path formed in front of him. On the walls, torches burned with green light giving the whole place an eerie feel. To a common muggle, this place would have looked deserted, but Remus could feel them lurking from different corners, an inch beyond the shadows, but enough to hide their presence.

Vampires… for a werewolf it was the unthinkable, Remus felt like a lamb walking through a pack of wolves, but unlike any other wizard he still had a chance.

_Let's hope the name of Lupin still rings a bell or two…_

The path continued a few corners and two stairs down into the stone cliff before it stopped in front of a fresco. A large wall closed the corridor and on it, a red cross was painted. At the base of it, a passage was written:

_Libertatea nu poate fi cumpărată!__Spuneţi că preţul este mic?... nu vă mai amăgiţi... Va creşte mereu, pe nesimţite, până când într-o zi, când preţul libertăţii va fi libertatea însăşi!...__Să ne ferească Dumnezeu de ziua aceea!"_

_(Freedom can't be bought! You say the price is small?... don't foul yourselves... It will always grow, silently, until one day, when the price of liberty will be liberty itself!... God save us from that day!)_

For a second Remus read the words and placed his hand over the cross before, the wall vibrated and shimmered in front of him. A moment the wall was up and then it disappeared in thin air making space for an entrance towards a bigger space. He paced through the entrance and wondered for a moment if he was ever going to walk out. The room was enormous, built with marble white floors and walls covered in roman frescoes. Four pillars made of blood red granite supported the stone sealing. In the middle of the room at equal distance from the four pillars, a great fire was set in a stone hearth, which gave the necessary of light.

Remus walked a few paces further and noticed the paintings on the walls. The colours were obviously old, but well kept and red alternated with white most of all. The majority were war scenes, battles from old times in which white silhouettes killed entire armies covered in blood...

„You are a long way from home moon child..."

The soft voice came from the other side of the Hall and he could feel dozens of presences appearing from other doors just like the one he entered through. The cold shivers multiplied and his hair started to rise on the back of his neck. He passed the fire in the middle and then he saw the Council.

On a high stage, three thrones were mounted. The one in the middle was bigger than the other two and had the form of an eagle with his wings spread around the seat. The smaller ones were sculpted in the form of a bagger and a wolf, both seating on the back paws with their front paws spread wide to accustom a person. The three thrones seemed to be made from pure silver, but Remus couldn't watch the details for long, the glimmer hurting his eyes. From the right of the scene two vampires broke the shadows walking with mute paces. The one who sat on the middle throne seemed to be in his middle forties, he had a severe face with pointy chin and shoulder length black hair. He had an eagle nose with big nostrils and a shaved beard except his black moustache. The vampire wear a several hundreds of years old royal coat made of scarlet silk and tied with white pearl buttons. On his right on the badger throne a young girl, no more than sixteen year old sat degnified. The girl had long blond hair and blue eyes, her chin resembled a lot with the man's and Remus could feel a connection between the two, she was his daughter. Unlike the man, the young girl wear tight black leather clothes which came on her like a second skin. She had knee high boots with sharp spikes on the tip and a black vest with multiple pockets. The werewolf felt something strange about the girl, at first watch she was the delicates being in the world, but little details in her eye's movements and the almost unnoticeable way she movement suggested a deathly personality.

Both the man and the girl had around their necks a medallion with a dragon engraved on it.

The wolf seat remained empty , but a circle made of tens of other vampires closed around Remus. They were almost a hundred, different ages and clothes, but all having long canines and a wild growl spread across their faces.

„Speak you filthy werewolf!"

From the circle of vampires, a tall man shouted and came towards Remus. The vampire was almost twice his size and judging his short halberd, he had to be one of the generals. He was dressed in old leather clothes, which suggested he was probably more than five hundred years old. The vampire swung his arm trying to hit him, but the werewolf had a surprise. Remus ducked and from his fist a cristal vial broke splashing the attacker's face. Instantly the vampire hissed and jumped back to his place growling like a feline.

More than twenty vampires broke the ranks jumping forth with their sharp canines ready for use, but the young girl pulled a little horn from her vest and a deafening sharp noise came from it. Almost instantly the pack of vampires stopped their advance.

„Liniste! Varcolacul are dreptul sa vorbeasca!" (Order! The werewolve has the right to speak!)

It was the first time Remus heard the mixture of the old Geto-Dacian dialect, Latin and Slavic language coming from the girl's mouth. She was not a vampire... she sounded too alive...

The crowd went silent and the black haired vampire on the throne spoke,

„It is beyond my power of understanding, how the great gens of Arsene Lupin could have sunk so low..." The black haired vampire on the throne finished with mild disgust.

Remus swallowed hard, but didn't flinch his eyes. He knew the kind of reception he was going to receive.

„You have a great nerve to come in front of us as you are... in front of your leader."

Remus took a deep breath before he spoke as decisive as possible.

„I come in peace Vlad, voievode of Walachia. May your ruling be reminded forever. It is not my fault I was cursed with the enemy's disease when I was a little child. I hate myself more than you will ever do."

Vlad watched Remus differently this time. He didn't expect such well-chosen words from a werewolf.

„Tell me son of Lupin, how did you become a werewolf and a bearer of the dragon's crest?"

„I was born human and my vampire side never came to surface. I was endowed with magical powers, but at a small age one of the cruellest werewolves ever existing bit me. With a lot of help from Albus Dumbledore and one of my friends I was able to hide my secret many years until recently."

„And still, son of Lupin, you know you are not welcomed here in spite of your good will. Why did you come all this way..."

The other vampires were restless, they were constantly growling and gesturing towards him and Remus could bet even the young lady at the right of Vlad wanted a piece of him.

„I came as a favour to a lost friend... he gave me this and told me to show it to you..." Remus extended his hand and Vlad could now see what he was holding. It was an emblem made from a golden coin, a bit bigger than the ordinary ones. On it, a dragon which flew in a lazy circle was engraved.

„Ordinul Dragonului" (The Order of The Dragon)

The vampire murmured softly and this time the young lady rose from her throne and approached Remus almost too fast for him to have time to react.

„Ruxandra!" Vlad warned her, but the girl approached the werewolf neutral. The growling of the other vampires grew to a worrying level.

„Who gave you this emblem?" The girl's voice sounded like a dozens of bells, it was almost unbelievable to think such a beautiful being could live in this dark place. Unlike her father or the others, Remus could feel the warmth radiating from her body she was... unordinary.

Remus swallowed and handed the emblem to the girl who took it carefully as if she was handling an egg.

„James... James Potter.."

Legolas paced furiously through the corridors. The doors of the Chamber of the Everlasting Fire were right in front of him and one of the elves guards opened in a hurry. There were few times when one could see the prince of elves angry.

Elrond could feel his anger from distance, the whole structure was vibrating under his emotions.

„He's getting weak! The Order of The Phoenix will turn against him soon and he has no ideea what to do!"

The elf shouted and the whole valley trembled for a moment.

„There is no telling how or when will they sell Harry's life, just like they did to his parents and he..."

Elrond continued to watch the fire silently with his piercing eyes, but a deep shade of red started to collor his face.

„The Naz-gul is out there, lurking and waiting for Harry Potter to make the smallest mistake and get him..."

Finnaly, the elf king turned towards his nephew, a steeled look on his face.

„Albus Dumbledore... Legolas... is a man! Just like Aragorn he had a long life, but he is now close to his end, maybe tomorow, or maybe in five years, but one thing is for sure, Albus Dumbledore onored his kind and has done whatever possible to protect the boy."

Hearing about his friend from the old times, Legolas became silent and a deep grieve shadowed his face. Never was seen or heard about a friendship between an elf and a man like the one Legolas and Aragorn, son of Arathorn had, but man, even does from the king's kind had short life and the elf could never let the death of his friend pass. Elrond grabbed Legolas on his right shoulder and lead the younger elf towards one of the windows. A few giant eagles flew grazing the tip of the trees,

„Harry Potter is the subject of the prophecy... I have enough fate in Gandalf's words to let the young wizard control his life. And if need comes, this saviour will have to fight for his life anyway. I hear the centaur who has been training the boy has sharp eyes and not many things escape him, I believe he is safe for now"

Legolas made a move to interrupt his king, but Elrond's eyes were still fixed on him.

„Don't judge Dumbledore this time... he will have to deal with Harry's demons when the time comes... Aside Harry, Dumbledore has a whole school to protect... if Harry didn't die when he was twelve he won't die now, but the other students could, and if everything will go wrong they will be the last defence this earth has against the evilness of Voldemort."

One of the eagles flew closely and perched on the outside wall using his sharp claws. Elrond took a deep breath,

„The our grows late and the enemy moves to strike. The question remains, who's the target?"

**NOTE: I know this is a shorter one, but in order to tell you more about Hermione I needed to tell you this little thing about Remus. Next time we see what Hermione has to say about her vacation...**

**Also, as this year is coming to an end I want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hoping you are well... Black Gandalf. O, almost forgot it... please READ and REVIEW! ;))**


	12. Chapter XII

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien own Harry Potter, LOTR and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**NOTE: It's been a long time and I'm a bit rusty, but I hope this long chapter will not disappoint you all. Please read and review...**

**PS: I did a bit of cleaning on the other chapters also.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

**-Humanity is overrated-**

"Well Black… you've finally went nuts."

A shaggy black dog sneaked under the shadows of the high walls making as less noise as possible. His paws muffled every step and he was obviously familiar with the sinuous path under bushes and tufts of roses. The night was almost upon him and a quarter of moon was slowly rising which gave enough light to see without being seen.

For the twelfth time, the sneaky dog growled in frustration. A week of spying and searching turned useless. Well, maybe not completely useless, because there was something he found, he found no trace of Mister Granger. They came together, at least he thought so, but apart of being away with his new best friend- Mr. Krum during the day, he was never in his quarters, not in the morning and not even at night.

Hermione was getting restless and he was getting restless also, something about this place in the middle of… somewhere, was unsettling. She was decided to leave, whatever had been between the young witch and Victor Krum died as soon as she set foot in this accursed place.

A few more corners and he ducked under the nearest bush of jasmine just in time to spot Vladimir and another person having a hushed talk.

_Finally... something._

The person Vladimir spoke to was dressed in a black robe with a deep hood pulled over his face. The dog approached on his belly crawling through the dirt. Whomever the person was, it was definitely a "she" and the dog almost whimpered in surprise hearing the voice of non other than Belatrix Lestrange.

"I wish to have her in my custody tonight!" The chilly tone of her voice made the shaggy dog reveal his fangs in a muffled growl.

"I'm sorry Miss Belatrix, but my orders were simple, I will be the one to deliver the girl to the Malfoy Residence."

Vladimir seemed to hold his wits for the moment. A gritting noise coming from Belatrix raised the hair on his back, but whatever Belatrix wanted from Hermione she wasn't going to risk her place among Voldemort's favorites."

"Very well, I only wished to have little chat with her, nothing harmful." The irony in her voice did not escape to neither Vladimir nor the spy from the bushes.

"Her mother is still imperioused?"

"Yes. We had to use several deceiving charms to hide the absence of her father, but until now the girl has been oblivious."

Belatrix looked incredulous.

"Has she now…"

"Yes. She is too in love with my brother to see anything past his broomstick."

The obvious distaste in the Bulgarian's voice made Belatrix chuckle in delight.

"I see you don't appreciate very much their relation, would you have the mudblood for yourself? "

The greedy twinkle in the wizard's eyes was fair enough answer and this time Belatrix's high-pitched laughter broke the silence of the yard.

"See, in the end you'll get your parents back and a juicy mudblood. I guess Victor will have to share."

"Victor… there is a problem about him, he has doubts…" _He is as cold as any Death Eater… what was The Order thinking?_

Belatrix stiffened and the tip of a greenish wand slowly revealed from her right sleeve.

"Do you have doubts too Vladimir?" The threat in her voice cut like a razor.

"No. I know what it is to be done."

Belatrix calmed and returned to her sickly sweet voice, but the wand remained in view.

"Good… maybe you'll became a single child again. I'm sure it hasn't been nice all this years to live in the shadow of his fame and after all… apart our Lord we all die someday, better be a brother to help you give the last breath."

From under the bush, the black dog shuddered and for a second almost lost control of his animagus form. Sirius Black couldn't believe how convincing his cousin could be._ Such a diabolic voice... so manipulative… she is indeed deadly._

Vladimir's eyes turned into a cold stare of determination, and the dark witch knew her purpose was achieved.

"The Dark Lord will receive her tomorrow at night. I wish my parents be removed from under the curse before I return."

Belatrix contended to give a thin smile and a short nod. There was nothing to be said. In a blur of shadows, Voldemort's servant disappeared and a moment later Vladimir Krum went back into the family's residence.

The black dog run so fast he barely touched the ground with the tip of his paws before reaching one of the closer guesthouses. One of the lower windows was open and without a second thought he jumped in on the soft carped in the room of his temporary owner.

The girl was asleep beside the fireplace with her hands tight around a half open textbook filled with her elegant writing. For almost two weeks the girl searched the yard, the buildings and pretty much every place she could get in without being noticed trying to find more about the magic of this place. Tens of unknown charms and even a few curses were spread around the whole estate, but aside a few easy households charms, most of them were formed on a very different pattern making them almost impossible to understand for someone used only with the British way.

The danger was close and the dog stood still for a second before he started to grow. In a matter of seconds, the shaggy dog morphed in Sirius Black. He touched Hermione on her shoulder. The moment he touched her, the tip of a wand stopped in the soft skin of his neck and Hermione's angry eyes met him. It took a second for the girl to understand who he was before lowering the wand.

"Sirius, what's the matter?" Hermione recovered and quickly closed the window while Sirius used a poker to dim the fire.

"Bad news pup… You are in danger. Your mother is under the imperious curse and your father… I don't even know where he is."

The young witch stood petrified while Sirius made sure the door was safely locked.

"The Krum's never wanted you here for your safety, there is some twisted bargain in the middle and Vladimir seems to run things around. I heard talking about some deceiving charms which have blinded both yours and my mind."

Sirius started to gather Hermione's things around the room while the girl remained confused.

"What should we do? " Her voice was a mere whisper.

"They plan to take you to Voldemort tomorrow night. We need to be fast and escape before dawn or I'll have a very pissed godson to answer for your death… or worse."

Sirius kept talking while stuffing Hermione's things in her backpack leaving behind anything without importance.

"But my mom?"

"We can't… they don't need her, she'll be fine." Sirius didn't seem convinced of his own words.

"Sirius! I can't let her behind! What about my father, Merlin what is it going on…this is my entire fault" She sat on the loveseat her head in her hands.

"Stop it! Your mother is under The Imperious Curse and for as much as we know your father has never been here. There is no way to save her without getting killed yourself. We don't know where we are and we can't start a fight against a whole army of servants who are wizards also. I have only one way of escape and that's for you!"

Hermione concentrated as hard as she could on Sirius's voice calming her nerves.

"No! You have to help her. Or else I'll fight every one of them." The newfound determination in her eyes told Sirius she was serious. The wizard sighed and pulled from his neck a silver key hanging on a small chain.

"This is a one way portal which will take you to my old house on the Diagon Alley. So much magic around it will make the portal untraceable, but I'm afraid this is the only one I got. We could send your mother through it, but what will you do?"

Hermione smiled relieved and took the portal from Sirius.

"We'll figure something out…"

* * *

><p>Thousands of miles away, a well-muscled figure strode through the deep forest accompanied by a centaur. The stealthiness of their movements was amazing, considering this part of the forest was littered with dried branches and leafs; making it impossible to keep a silent strode even for the small animals. They were on the road for over half a day keeping a long distance from the boundaries of the centaur's tribes. Firenze didn't tell much about their destination apart they were going to see another pariah.<p>

* * *

><p>The clock on the wall ticked midnight and Hermione approached her mother's bedroom walking on her toes. The door opened without noise and in spite of a deep urge to keep away, most probably some deceiving charm, she entered. Her mother slept carelessly, at first sight nothing looked amiss apart a small green crystal hanging right over the bed, which emitted a faint glow.<p>

"Imperious crystal…"

Hermione stood in front of a dilemma; get to close and she too could enter in the range of the powerful emitter, stay away and could never place the portal. A look around the room and she finally spotted a solution. A deep red shall was folded on a chair two feet away from the bed, and thankfully one of the pockets was open on the top face. That was Ms. Granger favorite clothing for her morning walks and Hermione carefully slipped the key in the pocket.

She stopped for a moment to look again at her mother.

_Maybe she was angry with Harry because of that crystal…_

She got out as silent as possible closed the door behind her. A warm breath blew on the back of her neck making her turn and almost crash back into the door. A few inches away, the Victor stood with a deep agony expression on his face. The girl reached for her wand,

"Hermione, I'm sorry… he cursed my parents…" Unlike any other time, Victor spoke perfect English devoid of eastern accent or any other distortions. Even his language was a fraud.

"Vladimir is after you, I tried to stop him…" Hermione took a few steps back and raised her wand, but to no use, Victor reached a bloody hand towards her, but his eyes rolled in his head and fell flat on the marbled floor. Hermione place a hand over her mouth stifling a cry at the sight of an ebony knife handle protruding from her so-called boyfriend's back.

Victor Krum was dead and Hermione felt big tears falling on her cheeks. She never loved him, actually, he hated him now, he and his whole family for placing her mother in such danger, but there was no time for grieve. Sirius morphed around the corner and gave a short whistle in surprise.

"I guess his brother really meant it…"

Hermione looked still bewildered and frightened, but the girl recovered quickly stepping over the dead body.

"I placed the portal, she will aparate away as soon as she awakes. Considering a just crashed in her door I guess she…" The muffled sound of someone getting of bed could be heard behind the door, and a few seconds later the flash of light followed by the soft pop of apparition.

Both Hermione and Sirius smiled relieved. Sirius dragged Victor's body towards the first closet, than carefully cleaned any trace of blood. The relative silence broke a moment later when the sharp sound of a thousand angry cats reverberates through the whole house.

"The alarm… we need to hurry!" Sirius grabbed Hermione's hand running towards a back door. In a blur of a few seconds, Hermione took her backpack and followed Sirius outside towards the incoming danger.

* * *

><p>When the first rays of moon light finally broke the leaf top, Harry Potter spotted their destination. In front, a clearing was opening and on the east side of it, a small cottage built just under the shade of the trees. Unlike their hut in the Valley, this was obviously made with much care, with a stone base and crude crystal glass windows. The chimney was smoking suggesting someone was still up. The surrounding area was littered with skeletons of small rodents and other small animals and the foul stench of something rotting hit Harry with enough force to make him keep his breath.<p>

"Good thing you can hold your breath for a long time Harry, or else you would be facing the torture of this horrific smell. Unfortunately, our friend has a unique diet… but this none of your concern. Wait for me here until I call you in. "

The centaur left his student in front of the house while he entered without knocking. Harry took another look around. He still held his breath feeling a deep stinging in the back of his throat. The forest was new here, unlike The Valley of The Ents, here there were no threes thicker than his leg and aside the dozens of small white skeletons scattered around there was nothing special.

The door remained closed for a few minutes and the wizard thought he heard a chuckle from within. When it finally opened, Firenze came out his eyes glistening and looking very distant. Harry spotted a small bandage around his left arm already stained crimson.

"What did you do?"

"There is no time for questions now Harry, go in and keep your mind safe."

Without anything else, Firenze turned towards the forest and sat under the shade. His tense jaw told the wizard he was in pain.

The moment he entered the cottage, he felt a heavy presence coating his mind and body… instead of a house being lived in, this felt like a living house. The air was still polluted with the deep stench of rotting meat but as he closed the door behind him, a sweet floral perfume invaded his nostrils making him take deep breaths.

The cottage was as simple as it looked, with a room downstairs and high sleeping platform on the upper part. The floor was made with flat river stones, which formed a spiral pattern continuing on the live fire heart. Big cabinets made of unfashioned wood were spread along the walls filled with tens of different shaped jars. The fire was made and quite a big one considering the summery weather outside, but in spite of that, the room temperature was somehow neutral and indeed Harry approached the hearth.

"If heat you seek, I'm afraid you're better outside, dear boy!"

Harry almost jumped away, startled to hear a young feminine voice. Right beside him stood a barefooted girl maybe no older than him. Her dress may have been new a few centuries ago and by the look of it, even then it has not been what a proper lady might wear. The faded black rags, which formed the folds of her skirt, were covered with darker stains, which looked suspiciously like fresh blood, and Harry thought instantly about Firenze's wound.

He backed off a few paces until his heels hit some piece of raw furniture and almost reached for his wand, before he really looked at her. One look it was all it took to make him forget who he was, or why he was there, the girl fixed him with deep brown eyes and her brown ringlets bounced softly on her shoulders.

Harry rubbed his eyes painfully and looked again and yet she was there, Hermione smiling softly with her hands parted to welcome him in a lovingly embrace.

The wizard flew towards her, he didn't feel his feet touching the hard floor, his eyes fixed on hers. He gathered Hermione at his chest and leaned his head to finally kiss her. The girl parted her lips giving a strange chuckle and Harry almost retched. The horrible taste of dead, rotting meat filled his mouth making him back away again feeling his stomach rise to his throat. Hermione's chuckle turned in a rumbling laugh and Harry backed away to see she was there no more. In her place stood a young girl with long dirty black hair. Her eyes were black as well and her lips seemed painted with charcoal making a powerful contrast with her pale white skin.

"I hope you took a better look at her, Harry Potter… you miss her dangerously much!"

Harry looked bewildered and finally understood it was all an illusion.

"Who are you?"

The young girl smiled letting her lips reveal a sharp set of pointed red stained teeth, which seemed more fitting in a hound's jaw. There traces of blood on her teeth and Harry was sure it had something to do with Firenze's wound.

"I'm Mab… and one of my talents is to show you you're deepest love. An old curse I acquired may years ago for loving a young man just like you… too bad I was a witch and he was a witch hunter…"

She seemed to drift for a moment before her gaze focused on Harry again.

"Anyway, I will always look like her to you, but I will never be… and you saw what happens… Firenze knows better, he comes to see his… a few times every month."

So that was why Firenze entered first… he wanted to see someone he loved. Harry felt a deep compassion for his mentor understanding Firenze was probably seeing in Mab someone who died…

The young witch grinned again and took a hard wooden chair to seat next to the hearth.

"I don't believe we have much time Harry… take a seat next to me and let me have a good look at you…"

In spite of his good sense telling him to leave, Harry decided to thrust his instinct and took the other chair seating himself a few feet away in front of Mab. The young witch leaned forward closing her black lips in a thin line. Almost instantly, Harry felt the lavender perfume overtake the hard stench. The way this witch looked at him was almost frightening. From the first moments, her gaze turned in a hungry stare, making the young wizard feel like a deer in front of a wolf pack. Her hands were gripping the chair's armrests tightly as if she was trying to restrain herself from attacking him and a thick vein swallowed across her neck, towards her jaw and up to her temple. Mab continued to stare at him for a few more minutes, the silence becoming ever heavier. Finally, her eyes relaxed in an instant and Harry almost fell back on his chair as the witch stretched her hand to catch a strand of his dark hair.

"I see you have a curse too… a few actually, but this might turn well in the end…"

Harry looked confused and Mab continued as she relaxed back in his chair.

"Samson's curse… I wonder… is she you're Delilah?" She mumbled almost to herself for a few moments, before returning her attention to him.

"I'm a seer… I see things that were… some that will be, but most important… I see things that are. Harry Potter, I will answer to one question of yours… I can tell you when you'll die, or the name of the song your mother sang to you… anything you want to know ask me, but ask wise or you might not like what you hear.

* * *

><p>With such a racket, Hermione expected some wizard popping out from every crane and dark corner of the shadowy court. Sirius led her under several archways and through a hidden trapdoor. There were a few shouts and once they had to duck in niche built into the outer wall. They reached the defensive wall and hid under the archway that led toward the small harbor.<p>

"Wait here."

Sirius whispered while his facial features started to melt. A moment later Padfoot strode outside. Hermione was shivering. Knowing her mother was safely back to Diagon Alley helped her concentrate much better, but even so going from killer plants and basilisks to friends and enemies dying before her eyes was a bit unnerving. Suddenly the moon rays were blocked by another silhouette and a sever man was pointing a long curved wand towards here. She stood frozen feeling helpless all of a sudden. She never thought they would even get so far, but now she wanted to escape, no matter the costs.

The man spoke something in Bulgarian, but she couldn't understand a thing, he took one more step towards her and she flinched, but in the same time, a second silhouette rose behind her attacker and smacked him hard on the back of his head. A dull thump and the Bulgarian fell without conscious. Sirius Black stood with a hard piece of wood, probably ripped from some railway.

"I've got good news and bad news pup, so which one would you like to hear?"

For someone in his situation, Black seemed relaxed enough, which helped Hermione, get a grip on her nerves.

"The bad news is we are in Bulgaria and the moment we leave this walls we could well stick our wands under the tail… at least I could. The good news is Vladimir seems to have taken leave just after his visitors and hasn't come back yet. Also… the river we are going to travel will take us towards the Danube which has the tendency to spill in the sea… which is in Romania…"

Hermione listened raptly trying to devise some plan of further action.

"From there we can contact Charlie Weasely who will know how to send you back."

Sirius continued serenely, but the detail didn't escape the brightest which of her age.

"Me? What about you? Sirius…" The old Marauder pulled one of his guilty faces before smiling broadly again. It wasn't hard to see he was making great efforts to be as reassuring and self confident as possible. He took a look outside before he answered.

"Pup, the truth is I don't know where we are… I found out where the river takes, but how much distance I could not tell you and I will never be a good company. If there would be no other option you could call the Minister and say you accidentally touched a portal or maybe take the bus to the airport and slip a board, but I would only attract attention. No… I will keep the rear on this team and when I'll tell you to run, you have to promise me you'll run!"

In spite of having spent most of his life in prison, Sirius Black seemed the most easygoing and optimist person, but not this time. His tone was sharp now and left no room for argument. Hermione answered with a grim nod and followed her friend outside once again. The harbor consisted in a small golf dug in the soft muddy bank of the river. Being so close to the stronghold, the Krum's collapsed a portion of the wall not bothering with another guarded gate. Hermione followed Sirius on the narrow pontoon noticing an unconscious guard next to a tool shackle. A collection of small boats were tied and Sirius chose the most slender looking taking care to upturn every other one. The boat was pitch black, having the elongated shape of a canoe, but much wider, giving it increased stability. A single shaft was mounted with a black triangular veil already raised. In spite of not blowing a single wisp of wind, as soon as Sirius untied the boat, the veil inflated pushing the whole thing forward towards the center of the river. Only when the Krum's residence's walls begun to fade, Hermione allowed herself to breath regulate again.

* * *

><p>"Decide Harry Potter, some things are better said right away, than wait until there is nothing to do about it!"<p>

For some reason, Mab seemed eager to answer whatever question he was going to ask her and no wonder Harry felt he would not like her answer at all.

"But I don't know, one question will not help me much… look I don't even know why I'm here, I'll better be going"

Harry was on his way back to the front door. However, Mab wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Is it so? Tell me, has something bothered you these past weeks? Some dilemma? A hunch maybe… some lack of answer which doesn't let you sleep well?"

Mab was persuasive, that was for sure and Harry wanted to chuckle thinking about his sleep quality, but she was right about something…

The witch felt his decision before he gave speech to it and a hungry smile broke her face in a very unnatural way.

"I want to know if some friend of mine is ok… her name is Hermione."

Mab chuckled delighted.

"Well of course her name is Hermione! Very well, look into the fire Harry and you shall have your answer."

Only a few minutes passed since the walls of the stronghold disappeared from sight and Hermione felt something was strangely amiss. The river cut through a thick oak forest with old trees, which bowed over the water, forcing the two fugitives to often lower their heads and soon Sirius was on the paddles. In spite of being a forest, the usual sounds of birds and other game were absent apart some strange shifts of shadows which seemed to follow the boat from the bank. Sirius became increasingly silent and a sullen scorn grew upon his face, which gave Hermione a clue about their new situation. They were followed, or better said accompanied by someone or more who either expected them to come ashore or to fall in some trap downfall.

"They surely don't try to hide themselves…" Sirius groaned and carefully reached for two torches made of an iron shaft with a cup filled with petrol and cotton.

"What is it?" Though concerned, there wasn't the dreading feeling she had within the confines of the Krum residence, she had her wand, though easily traceable and Sirius was there too.

"Vampires… if we are lucky…" A short shower of sparks and one of the torches was lit. Almost instantly, the shapes faded keeping a much greater distance from the riverbank.

"Listen… somewhere near we'll have to abandon this boat, I don't thrust anything coming from that cursed place. I will give you this torch and another one unlit. You must run as far as you can and when the dawn comes find at least some clearing if not the edge of the forest. Whatever it lurks there it will hate day light and in its absence fire. I'll take as many as I can after me, but some will stay and some will go back searching for you. You must live, do as I told you."

"But what about you? How am I going…"

"Hermione, I'll be ok… if a whole division of aurors couldn't take me I'll be damned if I let a couple of two legged leeches get me. Find a nice spot and wait for help. I sent a message to Charlie Weasely just before leaving; he will see you back home."

With Harry around, counting dangerous life threatening situations was a never ending task and over the years Hermione felt a great gauge of courage and guts building up inside her, but this was different and neither Harry nor Ron where there. A few more turns and Sirius drove the boat violently towards the bank making the young witch loose her balance. She almost dropped the torch but she caught on the edge of the boat recovering in the last second. Sirius sticked the other unlit torch between her rucksack and her back, gave her a hard kiss on the top of her head and jumped in the mud.

"Run Hermione! And keep the light with you!"

The girl ran towards the pitch-black forest only turning for a moment to look behind her. Sirius was standing with his arms opened holding a silver knife in his right while two of the shadows were slowly approaching. A slender branch snapped from her elbow over her right cheekbone slashing across her face. She gritted her teeth holding back a cry of pain and picked her pace feeling once again someone was accompanying her closely.

* * *

><p>The flames were a deep shade of green, almost reminding him of the Avada-Kedavra, his eyes were attracted like a magnet and all his peripheral vision disappeared. A moment later, the flames shimmered and parted to let him see Hermione's face. His smile died almost instantly seeing the young witch surrounded by thick forest and her face screwed in exhaustion and… fear? She tripped some time and yelped terrified almost dropping the torch. The flames circled around her for a moment, enough to let Harry see a shape floating close by with matching speed. The fire burst again with red and yellow tongues ending his vision.<p>

Mab was looking at him surprised and clearly, whatever he saw, she saw too. His deep rage awakened almost at once and a sudden jolt of power ran through his veins. A moment of blackout and he woke on the floor with his hand coiling around Mab's throat. In spite of the horrible stench, his face was inches away from her and the young girl was coughing, her chest rising and falling fast.

"Tell me what I saw?" His voice was and every inch of control over his mind and nerves disappeared in a second.

"Where is she?" Mab's face was turning steadily blue and Harry felt once again a strange pang of pleasure in chocking her.

"Let me live if you want her to…" She only made it as far and the wizard's hands relaxed enough to let a bit more air escape down to her lungs.

For the first time since The Tournament, Harry was once again enraged and at loose. He felt waves of rage and torment stretching like a spider web around his mind numbing his rationality. The only thing remaining clear, a beacon in his fuzzy mind was Hermione.

Speak! Or I'll turn your brain to mush!"

Mab didn't need any more convincing.

"You're girlfriend is in danger. She's running from the dead walkers. As long as she has light she will be well."

Harry's eyes were drilling in hers and Mab knew at instant that the slightest little lie would bring her death.

"How do I find her?"

"You have the gift of the forest, use it and you'll know where to go. The trees will help you, the birds will search her and the water will guide you to her. Bend the forest's will to yours!"

For another second she felt Harry's hands tensing around her neck again and Mab thought this was the end of her.

"If something happens to Hermione you die!... you die... everyone will die." the coldness in his voice was tremendous and the girl shuddered under the young wizard's shifty voice.

Almost too fast, to watch him with the naked eye, Harry Potter bolted through the door and out on the forest.

Firenze was standing beyond the first line of the trees when the boy appeared in the middle of the clearing. The forest died almost the same time he loosened a deep roar and suddenly Harry Potter was again out of control, a choking steam of sulfur was rising around him burning everything to the ground. Suddenly he turned and fixed Firenze as if he could look through the trees and bushes. The centaur remained calmed.

"If you try to stop me you'll never live to see tomorrow." Instantly the centaur knew this was not a child's threat but a simple statement. Also, the moment he spoke, the centaur felt it wasn't just Harry there.

"Calm yourself Harry, don't lose control..."

An unnatural malicious smile formed on the boy's lips.

"To what serves me now your calm Firenze? If she's hurt I will hurt all of you and there will be no place on this earth deep and dark enough to hide those responsible from me."

"Your turning into an animal Harry, don't lose your mind…"

The wizard didn't wait, the smoke around him formed a fast tornado around his body and before Firenze could blink, Harry Potter disappeared. A ruffling of branches and leafs still lingered a few moments after indicating the way he left. The centaur pulled a small patch of yellow parchment and scribbled a few words on it. He tied the parchment on an arrow and launched it high in the skies.

Alastor Moody was almost surprised when a slender arrow slashed through the forest barrier. The arrow plunged in the soft dirt a few feet away from him and the auror flicked his wand briskly summoning the little message tube, which was strapped on the arrow's shaft.

"_Harry Potter is heading south towards Hogsmead. Please intercept with care and and make sure he's not seen. Proceed with care, he is out of control."_

The wizard crumpled the small piece of paper in his hand and made it burst in flames. One all around look with his "mad"eye and then he disappeared. Hogsmead was almost empty at this hour. A few drunk wizard and a clearly confounded house elf were still walking the main street, but Alastor doubted they would be capable of more than keep from falling down. Normally he would have waited for at least a day before answering to the call, there was no way fast from the forest for someone who's not allowed to do magic outside school, but considering it was about Harry Potter, he couldn't take any chances.

_That boy is strange even for a magical person_

Harry's arrival was announced minutes before him, a deep howling like an approaching storm made the whole Hogsmead tremble and soon enough the small village seemed deserted, every one closing the window panels. The howling was joined by a sudden gust of wind and the trees started to bend sideways making a huge path between them.

Alastor Moody paced confident towards the middle of the new formed path using his wooden staff to pin himself down. A small tornado formed in the distance and soon enough the auror witnessed Harry Potter's arrival.

A few meters in front of both the howling wind and the small dust tornado dissolved leaving a clear image of a man in sight. He was Harry Potter, even blind, the old auror could recognize someone he met before, but certainly, this wasn't the same boy he saw a few months ago. He was about his height, buff, with broad shoulders. Through his green and black clothes, he could see tight muscles roping around his limbs, but what was even more impressive was the boy's hair. His black hair fell past his shoulders like a thick veil hiding his face.

"Potter."

The boy lifted his head and Moody has to take a look at his face. His eyes were almost glowing and his mouth was slightly opened, enough to show two sets of sharp canines.

"If you thought you're being stealth, don't worry… I think there might be some drunken sailors in Blackpool who haven't heard you." The auror kept his usual scolding tone. "Where do you think you're going?"

The boy finally spoke and instantly the auror knew what was he dealing with.

"I'm going to Bulgaria. Business of my own." The boy's voice was deep and dubbed by a second one. He sounded as deadly as he looked.

"Ahh… once again you thought to save the day I see…" Alastor took a second before starting even more furious than before. "Tell me Potter, how the hell are you going to get there? Or you thought you could make a rampage all across Europe?"

Harry opened his mouth, but this time a beastly growl replaced his words and his mouth opened even more in a deep snarl. His cheeks raised in deep folds revealing ivory fangs.

Moody felt the boy tense for attack and reacted not even a second too soon. As Harry lurched forward but mid way through the air, the young wizard was jerked violently towards the ground. Two black chains with arm thick links where perfectly locked on his wrists. Again, he tugged at his bounds but the heavy chains resisted. Another growl even greater than the first one escaped his jaws and surprisingly Alastor started to chuckle.

"Don't bother yourself… as long as you're in this state, those chains will be strong."

Harry's eyes locked on him sending a powerful stream of dread and terror towards the auror.

"These are chains from the black cells of Azkaban. Their sturdiness will grow as long as your rage will grow. Calm yourself and I'll be happy to set you free."

Harry tugged again and again and the sulfur steams turned again in a wild tornado, but nothing would break him free and slowly his rage transformed in disdain. Hermione… she was in danger and here he was, mad with concern and tied by his own furry. Moody stood carelessly with his back turned towards him, making him realize even more that whatever those chains were made from they were truly going to resist him.

His thoughts focused again on Hermione and he felt his mood change again, for better. A bit of calmness and the vile presence of his nemesis stained his thoughts so powerful he almost jerked towards his conscience without any moment of meditation.

Caught in the swirl of his mind, he lost his balance and his knees failed him to the ground. As soon as the vortex stopped, he formed a body and there he stood in an unknown space so different from what his Universe usually looked like. Long strips of scorched land stretched as far as he could grasp with his vision. Here and there, pools of hot pitch and lava bubbled and where his roses should have been, dried bushes filled with thorns crawled lively towards him. Despair took him, this could not be… so easily his last safe place became a sieged land, but he knew who was to blame. He rose again as spark high above and flew where he knew Voldemort would be. At the base of the mountain where all his memories about Hermione lived, the reptilian form of Voldemort stalked like a hyena searching for a way up. From time to time, he would loose another curse from a wrinkled white wand crushing big pieces of rock. And then he noticed the reason… high above on the edge of the cliffs one of Harry's white flowers was almost broken. Stone by stone, the dark wizard was trying to crush the ledge and kill the delicate flower.

A cold shower of shame for the way he fell in Voldemort's trap washed over him.

Harry slowly formed his limbs and body safely away from the dark wizard, taking care to not be seen. He understood now the petty trick, Voldemort used taking advantage of his state to run destruction over his Universe. Away from the Valley, his rage got the best of him in a matter of seconds and Voldemort was just waiting for that.

"Reducto!" Voldemort loosened another curse towards the last piece of rock, which held the flower in place, but this time the curse hit an invisible wall just before reaching the target.

The following second, the dark wizard howled in pain as his palm and fingers parted from his right wrist leaving a bloody stump.

"I aimed for your head, Tommy!"

Voldemort flinched and turned obviously startled.

"You should fit a silver hand in place, at least that's how your other half does…"

"It was worth it… I delayed you!" The dark wizard looked happy in spite of being crippled.

"Maybe… or maybe I will reach there in time… anyway; the next time I'll be coming back we will have another talk." Something in Harry's demeanor made the dark wizard shut his mouth.

The cage formed once again around him, but this time another set of golden spikes grew towards inside constricting his body in to the center. A warning look from the boy and then Harry Potter clapped his hands in a powerful bang, which made everything tremble. Instantly the world around him started to change, the grey skies became clear and a shiny sun rose bringing with him the hundreds of phoenixes with their magical songs.

"That's better…" As the bushes of thorns were melting away revealing red roses in their middle, Harry returned calm to his body at the edge of the forest near Hogsmead.

This time, seemed no more than a few seconds have passed, Alastor Moody was still with his back turned. A chink of metal and the two chains dropped on the ground. The auror turned holding a small dirty shoe in his hand. He seemed nonplussed as if nothing happened and trusted the shoe in Harry's hands.

"Here you go …"

"What's this?"

"A portal you idiot! Take it and for Merlin's sake keep those nerves in check. Charlie Weasely has just sent me a message, Sirius and Hermione are somewhere near the Romanian border."

"But how do I…", "Remember Potter, The Order must not know about this…" Alastor Moody's words were lost in the vortex of Apparition and soon Harry was crashing on dried mud and gravel on a countryside road.

He only had a few seconds to recover before the headlights of a passing car forced him to jump in the deep canal on the side of the road and from there towards the first line of trees. The small dirty shoe was in his pocket and only then, he realized his belongings were back in The Valley, no Firebolt, no Sneakoscope, neither clothes nor no money…

This forest was much different than The Forbidden Forest. Everything was much quieter, there were no traces of magical beings and as far as Harry could tell nothing bigger than a squirrel lived nearby.

I need to find her fast!

Remembering Mab's advice Harry sat cross-legged on the soft grass and let his mind reach the forest. He never dared to do that in The Valley, the mere touch of the old forest was overwhelming, but here there were better chances of not loosing himself in the slow minds of the forest. His mind calmed and then he felt a giant being all around him, above and under, to the east and west, from north to south a swarming hive. Small and Big life forces clouded his being until he felt on the breach of losing his identity. Scared he retreated for a moment, but almost instantly, a need to feel again made him approach the forest, but this time a little slower. Like a blind men just taking his first glimpse of light Harry enjoyed every moment of this contact, every single living being of the forest was connected with the others forming a net of thoughts and views.

His life meant nothing compared to this, a mere spark in a storm of fire, _and Mab wants me to bend their will to mine?_ . The thought of Hermione and the unknown danger she was in steeled his mind again. _It has to be done… some way or another…_

He tried to grasp the forest, to encircle the giant sphere of life force with his own and then squeeze it, shape it to his mind, but he wasn't even half on the way when his force thinned to the thickness of a hair string threatening to brake and kill him forever. The shock was so powerful it took a few minutes of gasping for air and violent convulsions before his heart beats returned to normal. He was out of solutions, not that he had many to start with, but now he could understand how much damage could his rage do to an already risky plan. He made no preparations; he never thought how would he find her.

_As usual… moron beyond reach, better I had let myself drown that time. _

_Of course!_ he now remembered how he escaped.

A grin spread across his face and he cleared his mind for a final time. The forest was again on him, but he backed away enough to form his own spark of life force and then he thought of Hermione. Since his visits to his own Universe, memories came to him as vivid as yesterday with no importance of the time they actually happened. A torrent of images and feelings broke from his spark in a green beam hitting the forest in a blast. The sphere resisted, but not for long, Harry's beam of memories and feelings broke through and suddenly the white collective live force of the forest started to change color into a dark shade of green. Dozens of rays left the forest's sphere bending to hit Harry's spark holding him in place and then the young wizard felt it. She was one, but many all the same, many were alone but together and finally many were weak but here… they were mighty.

The forest spoke.

"You do not know yourself, for otherwise you would have not tried to do such a thing sorcerer!"

Another voice more manly spoke again.

"Something beyond madness urged you to do the unthinkable and play god games with us!"

The voice was ever changing and the words had a power of their own like every sentence contained a spell. Harry felt fear and terror in face of a power, which now he understood it was untouchable. _Mab tried to kill me…_

"Why are you disturbing our peace with your thoughts?" This new voice was much angrier than the ones before.

"Who is this girl you invaded our pace with?"

Harry fought to back away but he was tied in place.

"I am sorry for what I have done, it was wrong of me to barge in like this… but I had no other choice. Her name is Hermione and she is in danger. She is somewhere on this land through a forest much like this and I only wish to bring her to home. If you could …"

"Silence! Sorcerer… we do not interfere in humans business… and neither in those of your sort. What is she to us? She is the cause of our disturbance? For her you attacked us like some sort of god who has no need to ask for permission? "

The voices of the forest started to change fast.

"Such outrage, my bees will not…"

"It is forbidden… the wolves will take no part in…"

"My willows are not going to…"

"I will not bear any ship this boy might lay in my water…"

Every being of the forest separated his mind from the others, just for a moment, enough to refuse Harry. Desperation took him; he would have ripped his limbs and threw them away if he could, because that is how he felt, without hands.

"See… there is no one to help you here foolish child."One of the first old voices spoke and Harry's hopes almost shattered. _How will I do this on my own? _

"We allow you this mistake and take you for a foolish boy who doesn't know what to do with his gifts, but next time you will be…

"Wait! I will help the boy!" A squeaky sang voice interrupted the other and Harry's hopes grew again.

"Sparks? You above all should not dare to rise against our will! Do this and your kind shall never hatch again in our home." The thunderous voice was so angry Harry was sure that whoever was this Sparks he wouldn't have the courage to speak again, but amazingly, he did.

"Very well then, master ent…" this time the squeaky voice addressed to him. "Sorcerer, if I help you will you take me and some of my offspring to a forest on your lands? We are small; one of your pockets will suffice."

Harry was too desperate to bargain.

"Yes, I will take you and your children back home with me, just help me find her!"

A deep growl threatened to pierce his eardrums and suddenly he felt hot iron spikes pushing him away back to his body.

"You have passage to leave this forest and never to set foot here for the rest of your days. Leave and take the traitors with you and be sure to never come back!"

A final shove and Harry was back again on the grass. He went back on his feet and looked around to see thousands of small floating sparks shifting through the darkness.

"Sparks…" He now understood. "Fire flies! You are fire flies!" The small insects flashed in unison and slowly parted to create and light path, which Harry was sure, would lead him to his Hermione.

He had nothing to help him, except his wand, which luckily Firenze gave to him before they left from The Valley.

_I need to be fast_

Harry took off the bands he wore since Firenze decided he would train much better with some tens of kilograms of extra weight and let them fall in a big pile on the ground. He felt weightless… and so it was he was immediately running with such a great speed the forest was just a dark blur around him. Soon he was on his four, his hands were better at thrusting his body forward over small rivers and masked slopes and a few times he actually leapt on the lower branches of a few trees to cross deep ravines.

Harry couldn't believe how better it felt, there wasn't even the slightest trace of effort yet, but he was sure he covered in almost an hour more than someone would have made in whole day. His body felt like a spring he only had to tense for a moment and then look for a place to land. The fire flies were always in front of him, keeping a steady luminescent path he only had to follow. Yet his concern for Hermione grew with every passing minute he was still away from her.

_I need to get to her, faster_

Harry extended his mind for a moment and instantly felt the close presence of Sparks. He wasn't sure which of them was his helper, but it would have been pointless anyway considering he wasn't going to stop for talking.

"Sparks? Do you hear me?"

The already familiar voice answered just a moment later.

"I'm here young sorcerer. I'm perched on your right shoulder since you picked up your pace."

"How much do I have to go? Did your kind found her?"

"I do not know the way you measure distance, but you have one time over the distance you covered up until now. Keep this pace and you will be soon there."

Harry let a grunt escape and suddenly he was even faster.

_Let's see if I can get tired…_

This time he reached the trees and remained above. Every step found a springy branch ready to propel him further. Sparks was a good guide where he could not trace the fire flies and soon the minuscule lights were lost.

"You are too fast for my kind, but I know the way… the butterflies have felt her. She is not alone sorcerer."

"The dead walkers…" Harry remembered Mab's words.

"Yes, but there is warmth around her and light, many flies have accompanied her torch."

Harry knew he was near and in spite of his impulse; he descended, back on the forest floor. _This time I think…_

* * *

><p>She was exhausted. Lost track of how much she ran. Her entire body hurt, her face stung from so many whips of branches, but in spite of that, there was not even a trace of sleep in Hermione's eyes. She found a clearing all right, but dawn was still a few hours away and her main concern was her torch. The second one of course and it was giving less light with each passing second. When she first lit it, the big tongues of flames gave her confidence.<p>

_Maybe I will resist until the morrow._

But now she wasn't so sure anymore and her only weapon remaining was a wand… which would do more worse than good. Sirius… if only he would have stayed with her, but no, he had to stop and buy her time hopefully not with the price of his life…

The flames dimmed to a small one not bigger than her fist. The white shapes moved again and she counted three or maybe four. At first she was sure there were two, but she picked up some followers along the way apparently. Hermione sticked the torch in the soft dirt in front of her. She pulled her wand from her sleeve and prepared herself.

_I might get two before they reach me… or maybe I should make a ring of fire around me, buy time._

The torch started to flicker. A few moments and it would be off. One of the silhouettes advanced.

_Vampire, definitely_

The marble white face of a middle-aged men studied her with blank red eyes devoid of any emotion. A much younger one appeared from her left. The flame started to dim. _It's dying…_

The spell formed on her lips and the wand's tip build up light, but the piercing scream of a violent pain ripped the eerie silence of the woods. Hermione was startled, but what was even stranger was that the two vampires looked back towards the darkness obviously concerned. They spoke in Bulgarian and a second scream even louder erupted from the woods just a few tens of meters beyond the tree line.

_Great, something even more dangerous. _

Hermione was surprised with her own cynicism; something of both Harry and Ron seemed to have rubbed on her concerning life threatening situations.

The middle-aged vampire looked back again and this time he made a wide circle around Hermione and left in the opposite way.

_Danger in front, danger in the back, think Hermione, think…_

"You not need wand. Throw wand and die no pain. I am fast."

The young vampire spoke with thick accent, but Hermione understood the message.

"I don't fancy dying at all. I will not…" The third piercing scream came from behind… somehow the older vampire was caught to. This time though, a roar followed the hairs on the back of her neck raised and she heard the deep puffs of a large creature's breathing. She was caught in the middle and by the sounds of the thing behind her, the vampire's offer was getting tempting. She dared not to look.

"You want her! I don't let you." The vampire was speaking with whatever was behind her, but his tone was less confident.

"Leave the way you came Dead Walker and you shall feel again the taste of blood. Get a step closer to her and you'll die, this time for good."

She gasped. Her heart went nuts, tears formed in her eyes faster than she thought possible, but she only turned sideways daring to peak with the corner of her eye. Someone she knew who was behind her and that someone wasn't there to kill her. Her knees started to tremble threatening to fail soon.

_Please don't let this be a dream, please…_

"I kill you and her."

"Die trying, vampire!"

The vampire's fangs glistened between his lips and a hiss escaped his throat. The dead walker leapt forward faster than any human could and Hermione flinched. She turned and gasped again. Harry was standing in the dim moonlight almost a hundred meters away. He was bigger, taller and meaner. His eyes were almost phosphorescent and his mouth was curled up in an beastly snarl revealing two sets of sharp fangs, but not like the vampire's, more like a feline's. His thick arms were hanging loose along his body, but long claws were starting were his finger nails should have been. A rumbling noise was vibrating from his throat and before Hermione could blink, he leapt forward too. Or was it he just disappeared? She only felt a wisp of wind passing so close it made her twist on spot in time to feel the scratch of sharp nails on her left cheek. The vampire's nails cut the thin skin but almost instantly the sickening crunch of bone splintering filled her years and Harry was between her and the vampire with his right hand clutching the vampire's arm while his left hand was raising the dead walker from the ground by his throat. The vampire fought to escape, and Hermione tripped back a few paces. With his free hand, the vampire punched Harry hard on his left temple, but the young wizard seemed unhurt.

"You may be dead, but you still need a head"

Harry finished and turned bringing the vampire with his back to him. His hands fell like two anvils on the vampire's shoulders making him crush on his knees. A fast twist from left to right and back again and the dead walker's head remained in Harry's hands while the body fell with a thump in the dirt. He let go the vampire's head and finally looked at Hermione.

She seemed unhurt. Bruised and battered, but nothing worse than in the past.

"Hello there, I thought you need some help…" He tried to sound smart, but failed miserably… unlike Hermione. His hair hang loose and his nails were again small and skin colored.

"Nope… I was just about to take his head of myself…" She felt the tremble in her voice and the excitement. A few moments ago, she wanted to cry but now she was too focused on the man standing there.

"What's with the new look beast boy?" Her voice dimmed to a whisper.

Harry approached and Hermione watched his fangs slowly being covered by his lips, his wild features dimming back towards a face she knew so well. He was just a few paces away.

"Oh, sorry about that… I'm not really human you know…"

Whatever Harry had to say, it was going to be much later.

"Fuck humanity, it's overrated…"

Two slender arms perched on his shoulders and Harry enveloped her thin waist crushing her to his chest. Hermione's full tasty lips touched his and soon her tongue threatened to wake the beast in him again.

**NOTE: Loved it? Hate it? Review and tell me.**


	13. Chapter XIII

***Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, J.R.R Tolkien, Joseph Delaney own Harry Potter, LOTR, Wardstone Chronicles and all the characters in this fanfic. No money is being made and I don't want to get sued.**

**NOTE: I know there isn't much action in this chapter, but Harry needs a good friend, right?**

**PS: Your reviews keep me writing.**

**Harry Potter: The Crownless King**

** -Zepelin Volante-**

"Hermione…"

Someone was trying to wake her up, but she was reluctant to let go the memories of last night. Her savior came at last… and he was… real.

"Hermione… come on cub, Charlie is on his way."

Again the voice disturbed her peace and this time the hot imprint of a calloused hand on her cheek pulled her back from her dreamy reality.

"Harry, just a few minutes… she grumbled with a throaty voice."

"You're still a long way from Harry, dear…"

Good thing Sirius backed away from where he was kneeling over his protégée otherwise Hermione bolting up right would have let him a few teeth short.

Hermione jerked alert and looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a grinning and slightly disheveled Sirius beamed at her. The clearing was filled with light transforming the eerie scenery from a night before.

"Good thing nothing came after you… I guess you waited for me here until you fell asleep."

She nodded absent minded, every part of her brain struggling to replay the events from the other night. His smell was still on her, a tender spot just below her ear reminded her of the way he sucked especially hard on that place giving her goose bumps all over. Yet Harry was not there…

"Charlie Weasley will be here in a few minutes with a portkey towards London. Then we will take your mother and have a nice chat with Dumbledore."

Sirius's anger was evident, but she was still unsecure…

_What if I imagined?_

_What if I bumped my head and everything was a hallucination?_

_What if…_

"By the way, do you know what's with the marks on the ground? When I came first and saw you lying there I thought you were attacked by some wild boars."

Hermione finally rose on her feet and after a few wobbly moves she gained a bit of balance. Her mouth opened and remained like that. Last night her torch barely gave a light when she reached the clearing and now she could see what really happened with the other vampires. All around the edge of the clearing it looked like someone had plowed the earth… two meters deep. Long tracks crossed the land making it look like meteorites have fallen ripping on their way big chunks of dirt.

"I… don't have any idea; I guess I'm lucky I wasn't disturbed. How did you find me?"

Luckily, Sirius didn't notice her despair to change the subject.

"That's a funny thing too… I ditched those lychees quite fast and immediately started to search for you. First I smelled you and I was making some progress, but at some point around midnight you vanished. My dog nose couldn't find you and I was really worried but just a few moments before sun rise I caught a whiff of your scent. I found a scarf of yours hanging on a branch nearby and after that I found you. I still don't understand why your smell was masked like that…"

Sirius finished in thought and Hermione glimpsed the piece of fabric in his hands. It was scarf for sure, but it wasn't hers by any means, it was a black wide scarf someone would use to hide half of his face rather than wear it for fashion. She took it from Sirius's hands who looked like he was still trying to figure why his animagus skills failed him and involuntarily brought the fabric to her nose. It was silk, but not the kind she would find in a shop, but natural silk produced by silkworms. A deep inhale and a last memory from the other night came to her. She now remembered how nice it felt when the scarf flowed between her fingers when she pulled it from Harry's neck. And the perfume… she couldn't understand how did Sirius felt her scent on that, the earthy and musky smell was so rich it made her lightheaded. Hermione slowly wrapped the scarf around her neck enjoying the feeling of the fabric which caressed her skin passing over her lips. The fragrance was even more intoxicating now and a strange feeling traveled her body making her blush at the sudden wetness she felt. It dawned on her now, the scent had something beastly about it, the kind of strong smell a lion or a stallion would have.

"Ah, there's Charlie!"

Hermione broke from her thoughts and followed Sirius's eyes towards north. A distant dark point formed in far in the skies, but no doubt Sirius's animagus gifts helped him see a bit better than normal.

It took a full minute before Hermione could discern the broad figure of Charlie Weasley. Soon the red headed wizard dropped in a fast dive and pulled up in the last moment for a safe and clean landing.

* * *

><p>He felt strange… Not because just a few hours before he dismembered vampires with the ease others would snap twigs, not even because he trashed the Forbidden Forest, lost control of Voldemort's entity and later attacked a forest with his own conscience almost bringing the end of himself.<p>

No, he felt strange, because some strange stirring in his guts, caused strange feelings in his chest which he could not identify further than… strange. There was some kind of good state enveloping his whole mind in a different way than the forest or The Valley of The Ents was able. His senses were sharper than ever, but above all now he had desires… many of them, but concerning only one person and that person was the one he left sleeping as peacefully as he ever saw her sleep on the soft ground of the forest.

The moment he felt the sweetness of her tongue he thought he would rather give away his legs than ever be apart from her, but as the morning approached, his ever awake mind worked and bugged him with a stream of "ifs" and "maybes" until he knew what was the best route to choose on this matter. He waited for a lifetime, a few more days he would just have to endure.

His body was once again normal… at least normal for his new self. The front pocket of his shirt was the new home of Sparks and a few of his offspring giving him. He hoped he would have Sparks to entertain him, but the firefly seemed to have gone to sleep. Unfortunately there was a problem, Moody's portal didn't seem to be a two way and the prospect of an on foot journey back to England wasn't nice at all. Somehow he felt his trip should remain a secret, from both The Order and Voldemort.

Miles away through the forest, already he felt the deep pull back towards his reason to exist, he knew she wasn't going to wake up alone, Sirius was around but somehow Harry was masking both him and her presence.

"No money…"

"No Apparition…"

"No portal…" he mumbled slowing his strode to a calm pace.

The forest's hostility of last night was gone, if a night before his mind felt sieged with wave after wave of dread and furry, after his fight with the vampires everything went silent. He kept walking swift and soundlessly aiming for his arrival point. There was a road at his apparition sight a night before and that was his best hope. Another hour or so and the light intensity increased ever so slightly but enough for Harry's eyes.

"Left…" Sparks warning came, but Harry Potter was already gone.

* * *

><p>It was not in Alastor Moody's nature to be surprised and sure enough he didn't expect for someone who woke half of Scotland a night before to be able to vanish like that. From under his invisibility cloak he was used to have a permanent and reliable advantage; his magical eye. He knew Potter had a cloak, a darn fine one which never seemed to fade, but he could see beyond that too. He could pretty much see through anything and never a wizard escaped him by hiding, but Harry Potter wasn't there anymore.<p>

He came back just two hours before dawn with Dumbledore's order to clean whatever mess the boy might have done, but surprisingly Harry behaved himself. He tracked the boy for precisely ten seconds before Potter passed through a particularly thick area and disappeared.

Moody gave his left temple a soft tap and his magical eye turned on detecting heat signatures. Again… nothing. He almost grunted with frustration and tapped his temple two times, turning his sight to magic detection. No wander, he couldn't detect any trace of magic and Alastor considered for a second if maybe he was the victim of an illusion of some kind.

"Good morning sir!"

An icy chill traveled the old auror's spine and someone pulled his cloak from behind. He knew the voice and turned ready to give the hot-headed a good scolding. Nothing?

Moody lost his temper for good this time.

"Listen to me little runt! Just because you have the power to disappear like that, doesn't mean you can play games with me. I'll set the forest on fire if that is…"

"OK, I'm sorry… Merlin…" A smirking Harry seemed to grow from behind a thick pine.

It was hard not to notice there wasn't the same shy Harry from the past years.

"Potter! Are you aware of the things I could to you? There are ninety four ways to cut a wizard's ears and half of them are written by me, which one would you like to try?"

The young wizard chuckled again,

"You tried to take me by surprise, what am I to blame for?"

Moody considered this for a moment before he grumpily agreed.

"I guess you're right about that… here"

The old auror tossed Harry his old rucksack with the Firebolt tied on the side.

"Here. Firenze said you might want this."

Harry caught his bag confused.

"Why? I'm not going back?" Suddenly he felt deeply ashamed of the way he acted towards Firenze a night before.

_No wonder he doesn't want me back…_

Moody fumbled through his pockets, "Considering you thrashed half the forest…" he paused for a second looking at Harry's long hair, now pulled in a long code. "… let's just say there is no place you could get back to for now."

"I acted pretty stupid last night, to him, to you…" Harry felt his cheeks getting crimson red, but Moody was full of surprises. He was startled by the auror's chuckle.

"Don't worry about that lad… I don't give a penny on your tantrums anyway and Firenze sees too much of him in you to get angry with you."

He finally seemed to have found whatever he was searching through the many pockets of his long coat and pulled for Harry to see.

"Ah, perfect…" it looked like a small firework, covered in multicolored paper.

"This…" he threw the odd firework to Harry who caught it midair, "will get you to your new safe house… ministry free, Voldemort free, Hell… even Dumbledore free."

"Dumbledore? He knows?" Harry almost forgot about the greatest wizard of all times.

"Well of course he knows!" Moody growled "Fortunately, Dumbledore has a big soft spot for you and he, as myself, thinks there is someone in the Order responsible for what happened here."

Harry's cheeks rose in an instant revealing his ivory fangs.

"I've seen those, anything else?" Moody's unimpressed comment distracted Harry for a second.

"If I find out who's responsible for this I'll kill…"

Alastor Moody approached the boy and grabbed his right arm hard leaning next to his ear. For a moment Harry feared the old auror was actually going to bit his ear off.

"Listen to me Potter," His usual growl had a strange tone this time "With great power comes great responsibility… Many that live deserve death, but as you know some that die deserve life so don't be so eager to deliver death sentences left and right."

A deep silence followed while Moody's words sunk and remain imprinted in Harry's mind. The old auror shoved him a few paces back looking straight at him again.

"I'll be going to meet Charlie and the rest. The girl, unlike you, has some brains so I'm sure she will keep the events of last night for herself… you use that," he said pointing towards the firework "and get yourself at this address. Dumbledore's orders are to stay there until Fawkes comes to get you." the auror handed Harry a piece of paper with a few words scribbled on it.

"Someone will wait for you there and I have a feeling you two will get along. Own, a warning… stay put this time, otherwise I'll skin you alive!" Both of Moody's eyes were fixed on him and Harry swallowed the threat hard but he had to, Moody was not the kind to be joked.

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Alastor wasn't finished.

"I… will be watching Granger this time. The Order mustn't find about you, the story will be that I came last night and saved her and Sirius after some distant contact from Bulgaria tipped me off. I will modify Charlie's memory to match my story and this should confuse a bit our spy.

Alastor gave him another good stare and Disapparated in a blur of mist and wind.

Harry's belongings were now strapped on his back and the firework and the note were in his hands. Harry looked inquisitively at the firework and again at note reading the odd address.

_Second to the right and straight till morning._

"Great…" The address was just as confusing as the encounter, but the thought Hermione was now watched by Sirius and Mad Eye Moody calmed his nerves. The young wizard placed the note in the pocket of his pants and pulled the small trigger of the firework holding it towards the sky. For a second nothing happened and Harry almost threw the thing away, but then the air was filled with sparks and smoke and the pen-size firework flew straight above the forest and exploded in an invisible but very powerful bang. The air was still pretty foggy and by the time it cleared enough to see his hands before his face, Harry looked up to see a huge oval balloon tilted on one side with a house size basket attached on its belly. The thing hovered some twenty meter's high enveloping a big part of the forest under the shadows.

"What in Merlin's name is that?"

Harry took a few paces back but the thing didn't get any smaller. A hatch opened from under the huge basket and a smaller basket was lowered with ropes a few yards away from Harry.

Harry stared at it still undecided. He trusted Moody… the old auror wouldn't put him in danger… right?

"You might as well climb in… let's not wait for the grass to grow…"

An amplified voice reached Harry and he could tell the person who spoke had a thick German accent. Checking his broom was at reach Harry pulled one leg over de edge of the basket and climbed in. As soon as he was safely in, the basket started to go up towards the… floating thing.

As he reached the hatch he could now see the whole thing was built with metal plates, the cabin's walls seemed thick and sturdy while the balloon was a metal structure wrapped in paper thin sheets of aluminum. At the back end of the cabin two propel engines were mounted on short wings though it came no sound from the idle engines.

He entered in what looked like an access room with big windows on the right side. A pair of stairs went up from the two farther corners of the room towards the upper center and in the front of the open door stood a young man of Harry's age. He was taller than Harry but also thinner with blonde hair covering his forehead. He was dressed in a modern adaptation of the Prussian uniform with black jeans and red coat with epaulets on his shoulders and a two edged sword at his waist.

"Guten Tag sir!" the young man was all a grin and he came down quickly sliding on one of the railings. He reached the floor with a hop and stopped in front of Harry with an exaggerated bow.

"Flight Master, Peter von Zeppelin, at your service!"

Another exaggerated bow and this time both Harry and the blond young man started to laugh.

"Was it a little bit too much?" Harry took the rucksack off and extended his hand for a good shake.

"Yeah, a bit. Hi, I'm Harry, Alastor Moody gave me this thing to fire and…"

"Moody… Ya, Ya, I've talked with him last night…" Peter started to walk back towards the stairs and motioned for Harry to follow him.  
>"Come, let me give you a tour… ow, almost forgot it, welcome in Zepelin Volante."<p>

The Zepelin was bigger than anything Harry thought would be able to fly. The whole structure was indeed metallic and the lack of engine rumor was because everything worked with magic. Huge Levicorpus charms coated the entire ship while an invisibility spell was placed upon the outer shell rending Zepelin Volante invisible to enemy's eyes. The huge basket actually was a three deck cabin. On the first and lowest deck was the access room and a storage area big enough to organize one of the Hogwarts feasts. The middle deck was a bit longer at one end which was circular and made of glass panels, there was the control room. The rest of the middle deck was occupied by sleeping quarters, kitchens and saloons of different sizes and accommodations all organized along a corridor which opened through a dining area. The third and upper deck was the captain's private area.

An hour later, Harry and Peter were in the control room, taking in the beautiful sight. The whole front glass wall was extending almost to the middle of both the ceiling and the floor permitting Harry to feel like he was walking on clouds.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Peter sipped from his cup of tea and rose to join Harry on the glass floor.

"Yeah… are we alone here?"

"Yes we are… recent events have made me the only occupant of this marvelous ship."

Harry sensed a bit of uneasiness in his new friend's voice. "Indeed marvelous… I never knew about it, it's something like the Night Buss? Or…" He turned to look at Peter who seemed to concentrate very hard on the mid-day sky.

"No, not at all… my grandfather was the inventor of this thing…. He was the bright and mighty Count von Zeppelin and he was a muggle. Unfortunately the way he built the Zepelin, was quite dangerous and at some point the muggles decided it wasn't a safe way to travel. My father and mother were magical and they worked to give the Zepelin a new life with magic… which they succeeded."

Peter's blue eyes were now lost through the clouds and a deep sadness poured from his voice.

"This is all I have left from them… literally… a few months ago a lieutenant of the so called Lord Voldemort contacted my parents and asked them to create an army of zepelins for him, but they refused. A few nights later… I woke hearing my mother scream. It was too late. Masked wizards were all over the house, while the servants and my mother were fighting them off, my father took me to the hangar in the back of the house and made me decollate." Tears were now slowly forming in his eyes and Harry placed unintentionally a hand on his shoulder.

"He told me I had to leave and never turn back, that I have to guard this zeppelin with all I have and someday continue their work. I was just up when the whole house and hangars exploded. Later I realized that was my father's doing… he set the whole thing on fire just to be safe Voldemort will never get his hands on the zepelins."

Peter got back to his seat and Harry seated on the platform of the steering wheel.

"In some ways I really get you Harry, though I never met you before I… like any other kid of our kind I heard all the stories about you and always thought how cool it is for you…" His voice trembled for a second, but he took another sip of tea. "But now… I understand what is like to be alone with Voldemort as enemy, all of our family's friends didn't even returned my distress letters and calls, I have no relatives and nothing remained of my house… the only person who actually came to me is Alastor Moody and he was my least favorite of our friends."

Unlike Ron, Harry had the gift to stay quiet at the right moments, but this time, for the first time, he could give an advice from his own experience.

"I never knew my parents, the first time I ever saw a picture of them was in my first year at Hogwarts, it was…is painful, but you have memories of them, years and years… I can't imagine how agonizing that is…" Harry felt a deep sorrow washing over him, a powerful stream of emotions touched his conscious and the young wizard was amazed to feel how much alike he and Peter were.

"But I can tell you this… nothing will bring them physically back. But they can live forever in your heart, keep them close with all you've got, photos to refresh your memories, letters, gifts, everything."

Harry was amazed to feel his own voice a bit trembling. Finally Peter sniffed loudly and whipped his teary eyes again sporting his everlasting grin.

"Anyway, I believe you have an address for me?"

"Yeah, about that…" Harry pulled the note and handed it to Peter. He read it and laughed again.

"… this is my address, Peter Pan's address… that's like mein papa used to call me… Peter Pan."

The almost tangible joy in Peter's voice was enough to make Harry forget for a moment about everything else back in England.

The zepelin was indeed a master of magic and engineering, but it was obvious the one who designed it had in thought at least a dozen of crew members, rather than two.

"Peter… how many quarters are on the main deck?" Harry asked during a break. They started cleaning the whole cabin the first morning after Harry's arrival and it took a whole day just to finish the third deck.

While the zepelin hovered on autopilot above the clouds the two boys took their time working and chatting in the same time. It was a constant wonder for Harry to see how many things he had in common with Peter.

"Too many… that's the number…" Peter sighed obviously much more tired than Harry.

"Too bad we can't do something about that, so much space unused…"

"But maybe we can Harry, I have a wand and I know the right charms… I guess we could only keep three or four quarters and find other usage for the rest of it…

"Don't you fear the Ministry will find about us using magic." Harry shuddered remembering how terrified he was in the summer of his second year at Hogwarts when Dobby caused some great magic mischief at his aunt and uncles home.

Peter grinned even harder. "That's the thing Harry, mein zepelin is untraceable, I can swish my wand all day long if I want to."

"Then why in Merlin's name are we cleaning with brooms and mops?" Harry's exasperated tone echoed through the ship while Peter smacked his own forehead.

"Sorry Harry, I forgot you've been at Hogwarts, you know all kinds of spells… I know just zepelin spells…"

"But why…"

"Mein parents wanted me to know about muggle life and they tutored me in spells like self-defense and zeppelin building, nothing to ease the day to day life though…"

Harry snorted thinking back to his old days at Privet Drive.

"I had my share of muggle cleaning Peter and I don't see anything wrong about it, but this ship is to damn large, we could use the Scouring Charm to clean the whole place up in a few minutes."

Peter dropped in one of the nearby chairs exhausted throwing the mop aside. "Then please do Harry!"

"Ok…" Harry pulled his wand from his wand holster and gave it a few test flicks. The pleasant vibrations sent through his fingers felt like the wand was greeting him. It seemed so much time has passed since the last time he used it and now to think about it, his last spell was some curse he threw while fighting Voldemort in the graveyard. The wand hummed pleasantly between his fingers and a shower of red and gold sparks erupted.

Harry took a deep breath and slowly released his spell.

"Scourgify zepelin!"

A vortex formed on the tip of his wand and the whole structure begun to vibrate. A second later Peter was on his back, with the chair dancing midair, turning an all sides to let the dust fly away from it.

"Harry! I believe it's enough…" Peter's cry forced Harry to break the spell and good thing he did because the marble floor was starting to get clean a little too deep.

"Ow, sorry about that, I guess it was bit too powerful…"

"A bit too powerful? That was a freakin tornado!" Nevertheless, the whole zepelin was now clean and shiny and Peter came back in a few minutes with a tray of sandwiches and thick black book on which was written; "101 Zepelin spells".

The rich smell of the ham and cheese sandwiches reminded Harry of something he almost forgot, how to be hungry. For someone who spent ten years on crumbles that wouldn't be too hard, but lacking the wild water from the Valley his stomach grumbled painfully.

Half an hour and a second tray of sandwiches later Harry finally concentrated on something else than chewing, swallowing and back from the start. Peter was eyeing him almost fearfully with a half sandwich in his hands ready to defend it.

"What?" Harry looked suspiciously at Peter who took another bite.

"Harry you ate about twelve! I half expected you to turn in a huge sandwich…"

Harry looked sheepishly "Sorry about that… I haven't eaten in ages… literally…"

"I'll say… "Peter broke in laughter "Better find some locket for the kitchen door if I want to eat tomorrow."

The day ended with the two boys studying the book for any useful spells. The time spent on the ship passed surprisingly easy for both. They had much to talk about and it seemed they were on the same page no matter the subject. Peter had a very sharp mind, he had this wild idea that muggle high end technology and magic could be combined to great results. In spite of being completely oblivious to house old charms or other every day spells he was indeed a flight master and engineer of the ship. The second week after Harry's arrival he completely transformed the cabin moving the control room on the lower deck. The quarters were transfigured into spacious areas for training and entertainment while keeping only three sleeping quarters with separate bathrooms and a big kitchen for all of them.

The control room occupied half of the lower deck which was now entirely made of thick glass panels. The other half of the lower deck was redesigned for access with a hatch big enough to let a car go through and a storage area with separate stairs, which led towards the kitchen on the second deck. The double stairs leading towards the second deck have been transfigured in one spiral stair mounted through the middle of the cabin with a fireman post in its center for fast descend. The second deck had the front end occupied by the three quarters one of them having a secret passage to the control room and the upper deck. That was the room Peter occupied considering he was the captain. All the way on the other end Peter transfigured everything four big rooms, a training space and a library were built on the left side while a kitchen and living space where transfigured on the right side. The only place remaining untouched was the upper floor. Harry felt he was given a big trust gift when Peter led him one day through a code security locked door into the great hangar from under the zepelin's belly. It was like walking in a ten times bigger Dumbledore's office but more modern. Computers and portable chemistry sets were scattered all over the hangar. A monitor as big as the wall itself was set on the right wall displaying muggle news from all over the world in real time.

"If you know what signs to look for you can track Voldemort and his minions through the muggle news." Harry was happy to see Peter was quite oblivious to the fear Tom Riddle's nickname inspired throughout England.

"This is what I've been working lately…" Peter pulled a white sheet over a stand revealing what looked like a flying broom.

"The handle is made of carbon fiber, something my dad discovered in one of his experiments and it's lighter and tougher than any conventional material known, but still retaining the flexibility needed up in the air."

The quiditch player in Harry came to surface and he stood gaping with bulged eyes at the high tech broom. Peter grinned proudly…

"I see I got you attention eh?, the twigs, I've replaced them with a miniature reactor based on the Coanda Effect , that means the air pushed out through the turbine goes under the two small wings on the back of it and creates tremendous lift power. The leg support is connected through the handle to the flaps on the wings for manual control. Those are made also of carbon fiber. Mein papa didn't approve this but I installed two sets of small rockets under the wings with magic signature detectors. No other broom is safe around them though I designed them not to destroy the broom but only to cut half the twigs therefore causing it to slowly descend."

Peter spoke with great enthusiasm obviously thrilled to have someone to share his inventions with.

"How fast is it?" Harry was still looking at it like the cave man at fire and Peter puffed his chest in pride.

"Well… no tests have been made yet, but…"

"But…" Harry held his breath.

"Let's say between a Concorde and this broom… you'll need some rearview mirrors…"

"Wicked!"

"Of course there is a long list of charms and spells to keep you intact and still breathing, the air around the broom goes in a pressurized invisible bubble and there is also a supersonic emergency brake which reverses the air flow from the turbine for a fast stop. Probably the trickiest thing is the anti-gravitational impact enchantment or AIE that minimizes the effect of the G forces on your body."

Peter started to use very complicate terms pointing to various components of the broom. Harry's crossed eyes at one of Peter's explanations about the afterburner mounted inside the turbine was enough for the young German to drop it.

"Why didn't you go to a special academy or something, I mean… I know some smart people but this is… huge!"

Peter's grin disappeared for a moment, "I used to have that thing… the… Attention Disorder thing, I was rubbish at everything but this… tinkering and imagining things everyone thought ridiculous. Since my parents… passed away, I somehow became concentrated all of a sudden, now I can read for hours or watch a painting without having a fit… too bad I had to pay such a price." The sadness in Peter's voice reminded Harry of their conditions, they were special indeed, Peter had a sharp mind and he was… special too, but they were also kids, orphans with not so many people to rely on.

High tech wands, reducto grenades, combat cloaks, curse detector goggles and apparition trackers later they went back to the exit with grumbling stomachs. Peter was just entering the code when Harry spotted a ten foot high metal ball covered with a thin sheet of plastic foil.

"What's that?"

Peter sighed and looked like he would have loved to get around it,

"That's the only thing I haven't been able to finish… yet… It's one of count Zeppelin's invention… he called it The Seven Days project."

Peter took the foil of the ball and pushed a small button on the front of it. The ball hissed and let out puffs of steam before it opened a door.

"This is a time shuttle. He called it Seven Days because it is supposed to get you back in time seven days."

"Like a time turner?"

"Yes… and no, time turner's are not so reliable, your present self goes back in time coexisting with the past self you arrive in and that causes a lot of trouble, but this transport's you away completely. You wake up in your own and singular body in whatever moment you are with all the future, present and past knowledge. That gives you a better chance to make use of the time you gain."

Harry struggled and surprisingly understood Peter's explanation.

"So every time you go back in time one reality disappears and you have to go with the one you arrived in, there is no going back to the future." Harry's deduction was met with a row of applause from Peter.

"Precisely… the advantage is you do not age faster like you do in case of a time turner."

"But what about going back to a time you were not still born?"

"That's one of the problems… the Count believed you just die because the clock goes back in and outside the shuttle… I've been thinking if there could be a way to isolate the conscience of the pilot making it attach to someone's body for a time period and… the thing is complex and sounds unbelievable even for me Harry."

"It's a cool thing though… I've never thought about something like that."

Peter closed the shuttle and wrapped it again in plastic.

"Did you ever make something Harry? You know… inventing…"

Harry pulled a straight face,

"Well as a matter of fact I did, I once made some fingerless socks for my cousin, you take some scissors and…" He ducked what looked like a book and exited with a breathless Peter on his tracks who struggled to run and laugh his brains out in the same time.

They continued to hover above the cloud ceiling for several days on a slow route around Europe. The autopilot was engaged at a minimum speed for the softest ride ever. Knowing Hermione was on good hands with both Moody and Sirius aware of the danger gave him a bit of a brake and oddly neither Voldemort nor his other half trapped inside Harry made the presence known. The training room was a welcome distraction for The-Boy-Who-Lived who spent four to six hours every day pulling weights that normally would need a forklift just to move around. His training clothes were left in the woods, but Peter was glad to make him some new ones with even heavier weights.

Though he wasn't by far one of the bright students at Hogwarts, Harry's range of spells was much greater than Peter's so he took time showing him everything he remembered from his lessons. When it came about Defense against the Dark Arts, at least that was a subject on which Harry could talk for hours. It took almost two weeks before Peter gathered the courage to ask about the obvious, they were just crossing the Alps and Peter was cranking the heating charm up on mid power to keep the decks warm enough.

"Harry, don't get me wrong, but how did you get like this?"

Harry was leaning on the nearby wall surprisingly with a book in his hands. He was reading a book he found in the lab about parallel dimensions and gates between them.

"What do you mean?" He was deeply enough engrossed in his book to be startled when Peter pushed an old edition of The Daily Prophet under his nose. The picture of a thin black haired boy laying in the mud and holding tightly on another young man a bit older hit him like a stunner in the face.

He never thought about this, that someday he will see again Cedric's face, either in an album photo or in a newspaper like now… a flood of vivid memories from that cursed night drowned his mind for a moment.

"Harry… Harry, I'm sorry, it was rude to…" He was holding the newspaper tightly and two sets of tears were running on both his cheeks. There wasn't his usual rage about Voldemort, just a deep sorrow for a boy he never knew before the tournament who got killed for no other reason than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Peter looked deeply embarrassed and mumbled excuse after excuse. Harry took the newspaper smoothing the crumbled paper before he neatly folded it for keeping.

"Stop saying you sorry Peter, it was just a bad memory… that picture was taken just after the end of the Triwizard Tournament."

Peter was still keeping his mouth shut, but Harry knew he disserved an explanation.

"At the finish line, it was me and… Cedric." He swallowed hard and blinked his tears away "I was there in front of the cup with Cedric just behind me, but It didn't felt right, I stopped and decided to touch the cup in the same time, me and Cedric."

Peter leaned down on the other wall and slowly slid on the floor. He was watching Harry with rapt attention.

"Unfortunately, the cup was actually a portal, it took me and Cedric in a graveyard were Peter Pettigrew one of Voldemort's servants killed Cedric and used my blood to revive him to a physical state. Until that moment Voldemort was able to possess bodies but not own one of his own. He tried to play a sick game with me in which we dueled but I did my best to not give him or his other servants any satisfaction… in the end he was ready to kill me and I knew I didn't stand a chance, but Fawkes, a friend of mine helped me and gave me a sword I used before. With that sword I managed to force my way out of there with Cedric's body…"

The silence was rock heavy.

"Wow…" Peter looked baffled.

"I read in the Prophet in the past about some of your doings, anyway the best stories I heard form Moody, about basilisks and throngs of dementors, but still… you fought and escaped Voldemort…"

"Barely… and not without a cost…" Harry's voice was almost a whisper now. "During that night, Voldemort did something to me… I don't know why, probably he thought it would be easier to defeat me that way or he wanted to possess my body after I was dead… anyway, he attached half of his soul on me… every time I became enraged that thing would try to control me and a few times it worked. For some time now I managed to cage it and keeping myself calm helps too, but I know someday I will have to get rid of it and I'm not sure how."

Harry watched Peter intently searching for some trace of doubt or fear, but Peter surprisingly grinned.

"You're awesome…"

"More of a freak of nature" Harry chuckled sadly and Peter decided to keep it on the same track.

"Well, it depends on the way you look at it, still you fought Voldemort and now you beat half of him at his own game, that counts for something. But… in that photo you look different…"

"Yeah, that's the freak of nature part, in that photo I look normal, this is… the new me and you've seen some of it…"

Peter snorted. "I'll say… anyway, when were you going to tell me about Hermione?"

Harry remained mouth open.

"With all your sleep mumble you didn't expect me to find out?" Peter laughed in disbelief, but obviously Harry didn't expect indeed."

"So… who is she?"

"Going over the moment of shock Harry's looks turned a bit dreamy… a bit too much maybe…"

"Ok, I get it; don't get that love struck look on me." Peter laughed and kicked Harry in his shins only to leave hopping.

"I shouldn't have done that… nope; I shouldn't have done that…"

**NOTE: So… is there some Seven Days fan around? **


End file.
